Cognitive Triad Inventory - Polish version supports a one-factor model

What is it about?

This study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the CTI on both clinical and nonclinical samples, and confirms that CTI may be used to measure the cognitive triad. Eval- uation of suicidal ideation was also discussed.

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Why is it important?

These results are very similar to those reported from other studies, all of which failed to confirm the three-factor model. Haaga et al. (1991) stated that the division into self, world, and future is an unwieldy taxonomy with highly overlapping categories. In the cognitive triad what is negatively perceived is the future of the self rather than the future as such. The depressed person “anticipates that his current difficulties or suffering will continue indefinitely ... when he considers undertaking a specific task in the immediate future, he expects to fail”. The world construct also incorporates the view of the self rather than a judgment about the world at large. Beck claimed that a depressed person “sees the world as making exorbitant demands on him and/or presenting insuperable obstacles to reaching his life goals.” Haaga et al. (1991) concludes that “the triad refers to views of the self as a whole and two aspects of the self, not three completely distinct entities.” Accordingly, McIntosh and Fischer (2000) showed that the three-factor model did not fit the data very well. They suggested that it would be reasonable to label that one CTI factor “Self-Relevant Negative Attitude.”

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