Research Information System
Journal of Rational - Emotive and Cognitive - Behavior Therapy, vol.43, no.3, 2025 (SSCI)
Although the definition of intrusive thoughts (ITs) includes visual imagery and verbal thoughts, most of the existing ITs measures do not distinguish between intrusive visual imagery (IVI) and verbal thoughts (IVT). The Intrusive Visual Imagery and Verbal Thought Questionnaires (IVIVTQs) can assess IVI and IVT separately. The aim of the present study was to adapt the IVIVTQs to Turkish. The data was collected from 651 participants (65.28% female; Mage = 28.09 ± 14.00). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on randomly split samples (63.50% and 67.08% female; Mage1 = 28.56 ± 14.11, Mage2 = 27.63 ± 13.89). Concurrent validities, internal consistency reliabilities, and the differential powers of IVI and IVT in prediction of anxiety symptoms were examined in a sub-sample of 556 participants (62.77% female; Mage3 = 29.25 ± 14.81), while a separate third sample of 88 participants (80.68% female; Mage4 = 22.19 ± 4.98) was used to assess test–retest reliabilities. The factor analyses yielded and supported one-factor structures for the IVIVTQs. The associations of IVIVTQs with the measures of visual imagery ability, ruminative thought style, depression, anxiety, and stress provided support for good concurrent validities. IVIQ and IVTQ scores significantly differed between the participants having moderate to extremely severe symptoms and normal to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The IVIVTQs had satisfactory internal consistency coefficients (ω =.93 and.94, respectively) and three-week test–retest reliabilities (ICC =.70 and.83, respectively). Finally, IVI (β =.29) was a stronger predictor of anxiety symptoms than IVT (β =.25). Overall, the findings indicated that the Turkish IVIVTQs are valid and reliable measures of IVI and IVT. The IVIVTQs can be utilized to understand cognitive mechanisms of ITs, compare their roles in mental disorders, examine theories in different contexts, personalize psychotherapies based on IT modality, and monitor treatment progress.