Assessing positive beliefs about worry: validation of a structured interview

Research has shown that excessive worriers have beliefs about the positive consequences of worrying, which may reinforce and maintain their worrying behavior. This study describes the construction and validation of a new instrument for assessing positive beliefs about worry, the Structured Interview on Beliefs About Worry (SIBAW). Factor analysis shows that the SIBAW has a four-factor structure, including beliefs in worry as an aid to problem solving and motivation, worry as protection from negative emotions, worry as a positive personality trait, and worry as an act that can directly alter events (magical thinking). In addition, the SIBAW has high internal consistency and good test–retest reliability over a 6–8 week period. The SIBAW gives indications of concurrent validity with respect to measures of worry, anxiety, depression, and dysfunctional attitudes. Regression analyses demonstrate that positive beliefs about worry make a unique contribution to worry above and beyond general dysfunctional beliefs, and that worry shares a unique relationship with positive beliefs about worry, beyond symptoms of anxiety and depression. The potential relevance of the SIBAW for research and assessment purposes is discussed.