The research analyzed 297 students from public schools in Valdivia, between 13 and 17 years of age, to determine whether this instrument adequately measures psychological inflexibility, a key factor in the appearance of symptoms of anxiety, depression and emotional regulation problems.
Jorge GaeteThe School of Education academic, participated as a researcher in a study that validated for the first time in Chile the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8) in adolescents from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.. This work provides a new reliable tool for the early detection of mental health difficulties in this population.
The research, published in the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (Q1, IF 3.0), analyzed 297 students from public schools in Valdivia, between 13 and 17 years of age, to determine whether this instrument - composed of eight questions - adequately measures psychological inflexibility, a key factor in the appearance of symptoms of anxiety, depression and emotional regulation problems during adolescence.
Among the main findings, the study proved that the AFQ-Y8 presents a clear and unifactorial structure, measuring a single construct of psychological inflexibility. In addition, it showed high reliability and internal consistency. Its validity was confirmed by positive associations with depressive symptoms and emotional suppression, and negative associations with mindfulness capacity. No significant relationships were observed with the cognitive reframing strategy. Likewise, the questionnaire functioned equally well in men and women, which allows us to compare results between both sexes.
The results confirm that the AFQ-Y8 is a brief, reliable and valid instrument to assess psychological inflexibility in Chilean adolescents from vulnerable contexts. Its application may facilitate research, early detection and the implementation of educational or mental health programs. It is recommended to continue evaluating its properties in more diverse populations and through longitudinal studies to understand its behavior over time.