Psychometric properties of the Valencia Scale of Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Hypnosis (therapist version) (VSABTH-T) online version

Abstract

This study analyzes, for the first time, the psychometric properties of the Valencia Scale of Attitudes and Beliefs towards Hypnosis, Therapist Version (VSABTH-T) in its online version. Previous studies have analyzed the properties of this scale in its traditional version, but in none of the cases the invariance of the model has been studied. For this reason, and because of the advantages offered by online administration, it is important to analyze the psychometric properties of this version, with the aim of being able to use it in future studies, as well as to make comparisons over time. There were 154 participants, collecting the data in two temporal moments. After analyzing the factor structures proposed in the previous literature (eight factors and 37 items) no satisfactory results were reached for the online sample. An alternative model was formulated (eliminating eight items because they were considered crossloadings), with eight factors and 29 items, which presented satisfactory adjustment rates to the different groups (CFI = .92, TLI = .90–91, RMSEA = .06–07, SRMR = .07; χ2 = 562.60 for time 1 (χ2/df = 1.61) and χ2 = 600.93 for time 2 (χ2/df = 1.72), df = 349 for all samples, Bollen-Stine Bootstrap p = .02–07). The results indicated appropriate values of convergent, discriminant and composite reliability for most dimensions, and the temporal invariance of the factor structure was confirmed, an aspect that should be highlighted in the light of previous investigations. Taking the above into consideration, the option of optimizing the eliminated items could be considered, in order not to lose information regarding the content of the scale.