Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Distress Tolerance Scale: Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure

  • Published:
Motivation and Emotion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents the development and validation of a self-report measure of emotional distress tolerance. The initial scale was developed in Study 1 (N = 642). The scale evinced expected relations with other measures of affective functioning, supporting its convergent and discriminant validity. Criterion validity was supported by significant negative associations with substance use coping but not enhancement motives. Study 2 (N = 823), extended the results of the initial factor analysis, indicating that the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) contains four first-order factors, which are indicators of a single second-order general distress tolerance factor. Study 2 indicated that the DTS was stable over a 6-month interval and the DTS was prospectively associated with alcohol problems among men. In both studies, males reported significantly higher levels of distress tolerance than women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blackledge, J. T., & Hayes, S. C. (2001). Emotion regulation in acceptance and commitment therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 243–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brandon, T. H., Herzog, T. A., Juliano, L. M., Irvin, J. E., Lazev, A. B., & Simmons, V. N. (2003). Pretreatment task persistence predicts smoking cessation outcome. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 448–456.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R. A., Lejuez, C. W., Kahler, C. W., & Strong, D. R. (2002). Distress tolerance and duration of past smoking cessation attempts. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111, 180–185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campos, J. J., Campos, R. G., & Barrett, K. C. (1989). Emergent themes in the study of emotional development and emotion regulation. Developmental Psychology, 25, 394–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carey, K. B., & Correia, C. J. (1997). Drinking motives predict alcohol-related problems in college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58, 100–105.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, K. M., & Hasin, D. S. (1999). Drinking to cope with negative affect and DSM-IV alcohol use disorders: A test of three alternative explanations. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 60, 694–704.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S., Lawrence, J. W., & Scheier, M. F. (1996). A control-process perspective on the origins of affect. In L. L. Martin & A. Tesser (Eds.), Striving and feeling: Interactions among goals, affect, and self-regulation (pp. 11–52). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catanzaro, S. J., & Mearns, J. (1990). Measuring generalized expectancies for negative mood regulation: Initial scale development and implications. Journal of Personality Assessment, 54, 546–563.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, M. S., & Simons, J. S. (2002). Psychometric properties of five traditional measures of affective functioning completed on the internet. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association, Park City, UT.

  • Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1990). The general temperament survey. Unpublished manuscript. Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa.

  • Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1999). Temperament: A new paradigm for trait psychology. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (2nd ed., pp. 399–423). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Compton, P., Charuvastra, V. C., & Ling, W. (2001). Pain intolerance in opioid-maintained former opiate addicts: Effect of long-acting maintenance agent. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 63, 139–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M. L. (1994). Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents: Development and validation of a four factor model. Psychological Assessment, 6, 117–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M. L., Russell, M., Skinner, J. B., Frone, M. R., & Mudar, P. (1992). Stress and alcohol use: Moderating effects of gender, coping, and alcohol expectancies. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101, 139–152.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, F. J., & Widaman, K. F. (1995). Factor analysis in the development and refinement of clinical assessment instruments. Psychological Assessment, 7, 286–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forsyth, J. P., Parker, J. D., & Finlay, C. G. (2003). Anxiety sensitivity, controllability and experiential avoidance and their relation to drug of choice and addiction severity in a residential sample of substance-abusing veterans. Addictive Behaviors, 28, 851–870.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geisser, M. E., Robinson, M. E., & Pickren, W. E. (1992). Differences in cognitive coping strategies among pain-sensitive and pain-tolerant individuals on the cold-pressor test. Behavior Therapy, 23, 31–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glantz, M. D., Weinberg, N. Z., Miner, L. L., & Colliver, J. D. (1999). The etiology of drug abuse: Mapping the paths. In M. D. Glantz & C. R. Hartel (Eds.), Drug abuse: Origins and interventions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2, 271–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, P. D., Greenberg, B. R., & Serper, M. R. (1989). The affective lability scales: Development, reliability, and validity. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 786–793.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C. (1996). The acceptance and action questionnaire. Reno, NV: Context.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., Wilson, K. G., Bissett, R. T., Pistorello, J., Toarmino, D., et al. (2004). Measuring experiential avoidance: A preliminary test of a working model. Psychological Record, 54, 553–578.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. G., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. (1996). Experimental avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. J~Consult Clin Psychol, 64, 1152–1168.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, L.-t., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (2001). Lisrel 8.5. Chicago: Scientific Software International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, R. J. (1985). Theory and measurement of affect intensity as an individual difference characteristic. Dissertation Abstracts International, 45, 2297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, R. J., & Diener, E. (1987). Affect intensity as an individual difference characteristic: A review. Journal of Research in Personality, 21, 1–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. (1991). Cognition and motivation in emotion. American Psychologist, 46, 352–367.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lejuez, C. W., Kahler, C. W., & Brown, R. A. (2003). A modified computer version of the paced auditory serial addition task (pasat) as a laboratory-based stressor. Behavior Therapist, 26, 290–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, J. D., & Stevens, A. A. (1994). An emerging understanding of the reflective (meta-) experience of mood. Journal of Research in Personality, 28, 351–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, E. T., Neal, D. J., Roberts, L. J., Baer, J. S., Cressler, S. O., Metrik, J., et al. (2002). Test-retest reliability of alcohol measures: Is there a difference between internet-based assessment and traditional methods? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, 56–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reiss, S., Peterson, R. A., Gursky, D. M., & McNally, R. J. (1986). Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24, 1–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rutledge, P. C., & Sher, K. J. (2001). Heavy drinking from the freshman year into early young adulthood: The roles of stress, tension-reduction drinking motives, gender and personality. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62, 457–466.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, J., Correia, C. J., Carey, K. B., & Borsari, B. E. (1998). Validating a five-factor marijuana motives measure: Relations with use, problems, and alcohol motives. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 45, 265–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, J. S. (2003). Differential prediction of alcohol use and problems: The role of biopsychological and social-environmental variables. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 29, 861–879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, J. S., & Carey, K. B. (2005). An affective and cognitive model of marijuana and alcohol problems. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Simons, J. S., Gaher, R. M., Correia, C. J., Hansen, C. L., & Christopher, M. S. (in press). An affective-motivational model of marijuana and alcohol problems among college students. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

  • StataCorp. (2003). Stata statistical software: Release 8.0. College Station. TX: Stata Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., Myers, M. G., & Brown, S. A. (1998). A longitudinal grouping analysis of adolescent substance use escalation and de-escalation. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 12, 14–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2002). Office of applied studies, national survey on drug use and health, 2002. Retrieved 3/13/2004, 2004, from http://oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda/2k2nsduh/Sect1peTabs106to110.pdf

  • Watson, D., & Clark, L. A. (1992). Affects separable and inseparable: On the hierarchical arrangement of the negative affects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 489–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A., McIntyre, C. W., & Hamaker, S. (1992). Affect, personality, and social activity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 1011–1025.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, H., Lee, J. E., Kuo, M., & Lee, H. (2000). College binge drinking in the 1990s: A continuing problem: Results of the harvard school of public health 1999 college alcohol study. Journal of American College Health, 48, 199–210.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White, H. R., & Labouvie, E. W. (1989). Towards the assessment of adolescent problem drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 50, 30–37.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zvolensky, M. J., Feldner, M. T., Eifert, G. H., & Brown, R. A. (2001). Affective style among smokers: Understanding anxiety sensitivity, emotional reactivity and distress tolerance using biological challenge. Addictive Behaviors, 26, 901–915.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota

    Jeffrey S. Simons & Raluca M. Gaher

  2. Department of Psychology, The University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark Street, Vermillion, South Dakota, 57069

    Jeffrey S. Simons

Authors
  1. Jeffrey S. Simons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raluca M. Gaher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey S. Simons.

Additional information

This research and manuscript preparation was supported in part by a National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA15066 and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Grant AA014573 to Jeffrey S. Simons and by NIAAA award F31AA015471 to Raluca M. Gaher.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Simons, J.S., Gaher, R.M. The Distress Tolerance Scale: Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure. Motiv Emot 29, 83–102 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3

Key Words

Search

Navigation