Validating “How I Think” Questionnaire-Measuring Self-Serving Cognitive Distortions among Adolescents in Kashmir

The present study aimed to validate “How I Think” Questionnaire (HIT-Q) among adolescents in Kashmir. The sample consisted of 283 adolescents selected purposively from different coaching institutions of Srinagar. Psychometric properties of the 54 item HIT-Q were assessed. Exploratory Factor Analysis using Principal Component Analysis was performed to assess the construct validity of the HIT-Q. Oblique rotation was applied in order to optimize the factor loadings on the extracted component. The analysis resulted in 4 factors with a total variance of 52.99%, parallel to the theoretical construct of a four factor structure. Items with factor loadings above 0.40 were retained as acceptable factor loadings. After considering factor loadings, item correlation and content of items, the 16 items were retained in the final version (henceforth, HIT-16-Q). Finally, reliability testing was performed to determine the internal consistency of the HIT-16-Q which was done using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient method (α). The internal consistency of HIT-16-Q was 0.85 which was considered good. The study revealed HIT-16-Q, as a valid and reliable instrument to assess cognitive distortions in adolescents of Kashmir. And it was concluded that the HIT-16-Q, after further examination of its structural, convergent and divergent validity, could be used as a measure of distorted self serving thinking in adolescents.