Applying the questionnaire-based Implicit Association Test to measure depression

Abstract

Tests derived from the implicit social cognition framework allow practitioners to control faking outcomes in clinical and forensic assessments. The questionnaire-based Implicit Association Test (qIAT) is a new assessment technique, based on reaction times in a categorization task of items taken from self-report measures.The aim of this study is (1) to apply the qIAT in measuring depression-related constructs and (2) to assess its vulnerability to faking.Using items derived from the BDI-II scale, two different versions of Depression-qIAT were created and tested for their psychometric properties in two studies (Study 1: 118 participants; Study 2: 71 participants). Internal consistency, convergent validity and criterion validity of the two versions were assessed, also comparing their proneness to faking with that of the BDI-II scale.Results show adequate (but non optimal) internal consistency for both versions of the Depression-qIAT, along with small/moderate correlations with self-report measures of depression, proving their convergent validity. Moreover, in the second study qIAT criterion validity is supported by its significant correlation (with a small/moderate effect size) with self-esteem, life satisfaction and positive affects measures.Finally, both studies demonstrate considerably lower vulnerability to faking in qIAT compared to the BDI-II. Implications for psychological assessment are discussed.