The Need for Controllability and Predictability questionnaire (NCP-q): psychometric properties and preliminary findings in a clinical sample.

Background: Given the importance of the need for controllability and predictability in the broad field of health psychology, a high-quality measurement tool for these constructs is required.

Participants and procedure: The objective of our study was to validate the Need for Controllability and Predictability questionnaire (NCP-q), which is a 15-item self-report measure that assesses an individual's need for controllability and predictability. In study 1, an exploratory (n = 464) and confirmatory (n = 304) factor analysis was performed in two student convenience samples. In study 2, NCP-q data of patients with panic disorder (n = 34), stress-related syndromes (overstrain, n = 33; burnout, n = 39), functional somatic syndromes (fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome, n = 34), and healthy controls (n = 30) were compared.

Results: The results from study 1 suggest that the NCP-q should be used as a one-dimensional instrument. The NCP-q has excellent internal consistency and an acceptable four-week test-retest reliability. Convergent validity was demonstrated. Study 2 revealed significantly higher NCP-q scores for all patient groups compared to healthy controls, but no differences between patient groups.

Conclusions: A higher self-reported need for controllability and predictability can be seen as a transdiagnostic underlying mechanism of different patient groups characterized by experiencing physical symptoms in daily life. The NCP-q can be used as a reliable, concise, and clinically relevant research tool and may contribute to identifying relevant underlying mechanisms in different patient samples.