Development and Validation of Cognitive Errors Scale (CES)

Abstract

This study aimed to develop the cognitive error scale and assesses the psychometric properties of the newly developed scale. Cognitive errors are disturbed thoughts that negatively affect the individual’s emotions and cause them to view reality inaccurately. The items were generated based on the interviews that were taken from the participants (N=45). The scale was administered on the sample (N=350) males and females (17-50 years) from Wah Cantt, Attock, and Rawalpindi, Pakistan using simple random sampling technique. Principle Component factor analysis was carried out for scale development. Items with factor loadings >.30 on the initial factors for the cognitive error scale were selected for the final version of the scale. To make sure the data were suitable, several tests were run before the factor analysis. Five factors were extracted based on promax rotation. The scale was finalized with 15 items comprising 5 factors. The study helps in determining other cognitive errors that were also defined by Beck and it needs to be confirmed by Confirmatory Factor analysis.