Negativity Bias in Depression and Anxiety: Examining the Psychometric Properties of a Modified Scrambled Sentences Task to Measure Interpretation Bias Task

In the Scrambled Sentences Task (SST), a widely used experimental paradigm for measuring negative interpretation bias (IB), participants are shown sets of ‘scrambled’ words that can be rearranged into either negative or positive sentences. The SST is traditionally administered with time limits, cognitive load and negative mood induction. Yet, whether these procedural features are required in all contexts remains uncertain. We tested whether a modified SST (SST-M), lacking time limits, cognitive load and mood induction, can be sufficient to detect associations between IB and current psychopathology by examining validity evidence and reliability of scores. Sixty-six Canadian university students (80.3% Women) completed the SST-M and measures of anxiety, depression, negative affect, and growth mindset. Findings offer preliminary validity evidence supporting the interpretation of SST-M scores as reflecting IB in a student sample. Results yielded excellent internal consistency and expected associations with anxiety, depression, negative affect, and growth mindset. The SST-M also displayed incremental associations above and beyond demographic covariates and negative affect. Our findings suggest that IB can be reliably detected, in at least some samples, without time limits, cognitive load and mood induction. The SST-M is an easy-to-administer measure that lowers data collection barriers, providing the potential to advance research across broader populations.