Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire – Positive (ATQ-P)
Measures the frequency of positive automatic thoughts and cognitions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire – Positive (ATQ-P) was developed by Ingram, R. E., & Wisnicki, K. S. (1988). It is designed to measure Positive Automatic Cognition. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 30 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Positive Daily Functioning, Positive Self-Evaluation, Other Evaluation of Self, Positive Future Expectations.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Daily Functioning | 6,7,11,13,14,15,17,19,20,29 | 10 |
| Positive Self-Evaluation | 10,21,22,23,25,28 | 6 |
| Other Evaluation of Self | 1,2,5,12 | 4 |
| Positive Future Expectations | 3,4 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Seldom, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = All the time.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 30 to 150. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low frequency of positive automatic thoughts: 30 – 70
- Moderate frequency of positive automatic thoughts: 71 – 110
- High frequency of positive automatic thoughts: 111 – 150
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.