Interpretation Questionnaire – Chinese Version

Description

Interpretation bias is a tendency to interpret ambiguous information in a negative or threatening manner. Research has shown that this is an essential cognitive feature of individuals with anxiety disorders. In daily life, there are often uncertainties, and different cognitive processing can lead to either positive or negative interpretations. If individuals frequently interpret ambiguous information negatively, they are more likely to fall into anxiety.

In 1976, Beck first proposed the concept of interpretation bias, asserting that anxious individuals cannot analyze information objectively in the face of ambiguity. Influenced by past experiences, they tend to trigger memories associated with threatening information when processing. Studies indicate that, compared to low-anxiety individuals, high-anxiety individuals prefer negative interpretations when encountering ambiguous information. Previous research has found that interpretation bias mainly manifests in individuals with anxiety, including social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobia, and depression (Lawson, C. Macleod, 1999). In life, people frequently encounter unclear situations where the outcomes or events do not have fixed answers. If an individual interprets the ambiguous information in these situations as threatening, they may fall into anxiety. This tendency to interpret ambiguous information as threatening is what constitutes interpretation bias.

Authors and Contact Email

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Purpose

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Test Year

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Administration Method and Scoring

Previous research has shown that negative interpretation bias in social processes can lead to persistent anxiety symptoms. Mathews and MacLeod (2002) proposed three hypotheses regarding the relationship between interpretation bias and anxiety:
1. Anxiety is caused by interpretation bias.
2. Anxiety induces interpretation bias.
3. Both influence each other and are mutually causal.

Current research has mostly confirmed the first hypothesis. Manipulating interpretation bias has shown that it can induce anxiety. Grey and Mathews (2000) found that interpretation bias is operational and plastic. Holmes (2006) demonstrated through positive interpretation bias training that the “interpretation bias training” paradigm can enhance participants’ positive emotions. Mathews and Mackintosh (2000) verified that correction of cognitive interpretation bias influences anxiety emotions.

Beard and Amir (2009) developed the Interpretation Bias Questionnaire (IQ) to better suit university students (e.g., changing “colleagues” to “classmates”) with appropriate modifications to the original questionnaire’s scenarios. The questionnaire contains 22 ambiguous situational events, each with three interpretations (positive, negative, and neutral), divided into social and non-social scenarios—10 non-social items and 12 social items. Participants are asked to rate each interpretation on a 5-point scale. Each event’s interpretations are randomly arranged, and social and non-social items are also randomly arranged.

Reliability and Validity

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Factors and Subscales

– 积极解释 59.62±13.07 (Positive Interpretation)
– 消极解释 47.12±11.34 (Negative Interpretation)
– 中性解释 66.82±13.79 (Neutral Interpretation)

Keywords

Interpretation Bias, Anxiety, Cognitive Features, Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Negative Interpretation

Items in Chinese

1. 你听到自己的肚子在咕咕响，你觉得这是为什么呢？
2. 你请你的同学出去吃饭，但是他们拒绝了，你觉得这是为什么呢？
3. 你每天按时吃饭，但是体重下降了，你觉得这是为什么呢？
4. 你到商店去买东西，你喊了售货员一声，他/她却没有过来，你觉得这是为什么呢？
5. 你听到自己的心脏/砰砰直跳，你觉得这是为什么呢？
6. 新学期你当上了班委，一天辅导员把你叫到办公室，你觉得这是为什么呢？
7. 你正走在回家的路上，一个熟人看到你让你赶紧回家，你觉得这是为什么呢？
8. 你正在打电话，你的朋友在边上等你，他突然笑了起来，你觉得这是为什么呢？
9. 你睡得正香，却突然醒了过来，你觉得这是为什么呢？
10. 你请同学到你家玩，他们玩了一会就走了，你觉得这是为什么呢？
11. 你和一群同学聊天，你说了一些话以后大家都安静了下来，你觉得这是为什么呢？
12. 你今天回家比平时晚，这是为什么呢？
13. 上课时老师让你回答一个问题，你还没有回答完老师就打断了你，又问了你另一个问题，这是为什么呢？
14. 你看到自己的脸很红，这是为什么呢？
15. 你看到几个同学围在一起吃饭，你走过去的时候其中一个同学什么也没说就走开了，你觉得这是为什么呢？
16. 你走在一条小路上，发现对面有一个人快速的向你跑了过来，这是为什么呢？
17. 你觉得自己的呼吸很急促，这是为什么呢？
18. 你和一个同学站在窗子边上聊天，她/他不时地向窗外看，你觉得这是为什么呢？
19. 你走进教室，几个同学一边讲话一边向你看过来，你觉得是为什么?
20. 你感到自己轻飘飘的好像没什么力气，这是为什么呢?
21. 今天是你的生日，你邀请同学晚上七点到你家来玩，但是到了七点半他们还没来，你觉得这是为什么呢?
22. 课间你在操场边走过，这时附近几个不认识的同学突然开始大笑，你觉得这是为什么呢？

Items in English

1. You heard your stomach growling. What do you think is the reason?
2. You invited your classmates out for a meal, but they refused. What do you think is the reason?
3. You eat on time every day, but your weight has decreased. What do you think is the reason?
4. You go to a store to buy something and shout to the salesperson, but they do not come over. What do you think is the reason?
5. You hear your heart pounding. What do you think is the reason?
6. In the new semester, you became a class committee member. One day, the instructor called you to the office. What do you think is the reason?
7. You are walking home, and an acquaintance sees you and tells you to hurry home. What do you think is the reason?
8. You are on the phone, and your friend is waiting beside you. They suddenly laugh. What do you think is the reason?
9. You were sleeping soundly but suddenly woke up. What do you think is the reason?
10. You invited classmates to your house for fun, but they played for a while and then left. What do you think is the reason?
11. You were chatting with a group of classmates. After you said something, everyone fell silent. What do you think is the reason?
12. You got home later than usual today. What do you think is the reason?
13. During class, the teacher asked you a question, and before you finished answering, the teacher interrupted you with another question. What do you think is the reason?
14. You see your face is flushed. What do you think is the reason?
15. You see a few classmates gathered to eat. When you approach, one classmate suddenly leaves without saying anything. What do you think is the reason?
16. You are walking down a small path and notice someone running quickly towards you. What do you think is the reason?
17. You feel your breathing is rapid. What do you think is the reason?
18. You and a classmate are chatting by the window, and they occasionally look outside. What do you think is the reason?
19. You walk into the classroom, and a few classmates are talking and looking at you. What do you think is the reason?
20. You feel light and as if you have no strength. What do you think is the reason?
21. Today is your birthday, and you invited classmates to your house at seven o’clock. However, they have not arrived by seven-thirty. What do you think is the reason?
22. During the break, you walked past the playground when a few unfamiliar classmates suddenly started laughing. What do you think is the reason?

References

杨剑霞. 社交焦虑青少年解释偏向的实验研究[D].西南大学,2011.
吴欢. 大学生心理一致感对焦虑的影响[D].华中师范大学,2020. DOI:10.27159/d.cnki.ghzsu.2020.002699.