Construction and Standardization of Catastrophizing Scale

Abstract

This research presents the development and psychometric validation of an instrument designed to quantify catastrophizing. Following a comprehensive literature synthesis on catastrophizing phenomenology, we constructed a 10-item measurement scale. The instrument underwent expert panel review (N=8) for content validation, followed by empirical refinement through pilot testing (N=100). Item analysis revealed strong psychometric properties across all ten original items, supporting their retention in the final scale. Statistical analyses demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.823) and significant item-total correlations (ranging from 0.391 to 0.615, p < .01), supporting its validity for measuring cognitive distortions related to catastrophizing. This instrument contributes to both research applications and clinical assessment of catastrophizing tendencies in therapeutic settings.