Brief Posttraumatic Maladaptive Beliefs Scale (B-PMBS): Proposing a brief measure of posttraumatic cognitions about self and others.

Abstract

Objective: The Posttraumatic Maladaptive Beliefs Scale (PMBS) assesses negative beliefs about self, others, and the world posttrauma. Despite a strong theoretical basis, its three-subscale structure lacked empirical support for its structural validity. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PMBS and assess its applicability across diverse populations.

Method: With 443 trauma-exposed participants, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which revealed an inadequate factor structure. Subsequently, we explored an alternative structure and its applicability across demographics using multigroup CFAs to test measurement invariance.

Results: Initial CFA revealed that the three-subscale structure of the PMBS, based on theoretical conceptualization, had an inadequate fit. Through exploratory factor analyses, an alternative eight-item, two-factor model was derived using Subsample 1 (n = 222). The validity of this model was further confirmed through CFA on a separate Subsample 2 (n = 221). The scale was renamed as the Brief version of the Posttraumatic Maladaptive Beliefs Scale (B-PMBS). The B-PMBS demonstrated sound convergent and divergent validity with variables such as the number of traumatic events, their perceived impact, event centrality, resilience, and core self-evaluation. It also showed factorial invariance across various demographic groups, including gender, race, and disability status.

Conclusions: These findings challenge the structural validity of the original PMBS and support the psychometric validity of the B-PMBS across diverse populations. Its reliability and brevity make the B-PMBS a valuable tool for clinicians and researchers seeking to identify and address posttraumatic cognitions in various settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).