Overview
The NPOQ is a measure of negative problem orientation. The content was devised by clinicians and researchers to reflect a dysfuntional set of attitudes related to problem-solving ability (e.g., perceived threat, self-inefficacy, and negative outcome expectancy). The measure was originally developed in French (Gosselin et al., 2000, 2001). The current details refer to the English translation (Robichaud & Dugas, 2005).Scoring & Interpretation
The NPOQ is a 12-item unidimensional measure. Items explore, for example, the tendency to see problems as a threat, doubts about problem-solving ability and a pessimistic belief in the outcome. Respondents rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ‘‘not at all true of me’’ to 5 ‘‘extremely true of me’’, according to how they react or think when confronted with a problem. Items responses are summed to give a total score. No items are reverse scored. Higher scores indicate greater negative problem orientation.Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency
Test-Retest Reliability
Factor Structure
Validity
Convergent Validity: The NPOQ was highly correlated with the Negative Problem Orientation subscale of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory—Revised—Short Form (D’Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 1998). The NPOQ also had a moderate relationship to pessimism, and a moderate, smaller, inverse relationship with optimism as measured by the Extended Life Orientation Test (ELOT; Chang, Maydeu-Olivares, & D’Zurilla, 1997). Correlations between the NPOQ and measures of anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck, Epstein, Brown, & Steer, 1988) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory—II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) remained significant after pessimism was partialled out (indicating that negative problem orientation is distinct from pessimism). The NPOQ was moderately significantly associated with pessimism (Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), self-mastery (Self-Mastery Scale(SMS; Pearlin & Schooler,1978), and neuroticism (NEO Personality Inventory—Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1989) in the expected direction. Divergent Validity: NPOQ scores were unrelated to the Rational Problem Solving subscale of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory—Revised—Short Form (D’Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 1998)