Psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory hostility subscale in patients with heart failure

Background and Purpose: Patients with heart failure (HF) often have increased hostility. The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) Hostility subscale has not been evaluated in this population. The purpose of this study was to explore dimensionality, internal consistency, and construct validity of BSI Hostility subscale in HF. Method: Measures examined were BSI Hostility, Depression, and Anxiety subscales; Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis, and correlational analysis were used. Results: Cronbach's alpha for the BSI Hostility subscale was .77. Hostility was positively associated with the PHQ-9, BSI Depression, and Anxiety subscales and negatively related to the MSPSS. Discussion: The BSI Hostility subscale provides a reliable and valid measure of hostility in patients with HF.