Background: Distress tolerance is defined as the individual’s capacity to experience and withstand negative psychological states. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and the factor structure of the Spanish version of the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) and to test its relationship with psychopathological symptoms and personality.
Method: A sample of 650 participants completed the DTS, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised–Abbreviated) (EPQR-A), and the Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire (SA-45).
Results: The DTS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and adequate temporal stability (7-month test-retest). Results of a confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized 4-factor structure (tolerance, appraisal, absorption, and regulation) that load onto a higher-order general factor. A structural equation model (SEM) was tested to provide evidence of construct validity. Neuroticism was inversely associated with distress tolerance, and distress tolerance partially mediated the effects of neuroticism on current symptoms. Results indicated that the Spanish DTS mediated associations between personality traits and current psychiatric symptoms.
Conclusions: Results support the use of this version as a useful tool for assessing distress tolerance in clinical and research settings in Spanish-speaking countries. In addition, we found that distress tolerance may form a link between neuroticism and psychopathology.