Putting it into context : creating a self-report measure of big picture appraisal

Big picture appraisal is a way of thinking about a negative or distressing event that involves developing a wider perspective, including the context of the event. Five facets have been proposed for big picture appraisal: an extended time perspective; the broader context of one’s life; the broader human context; growth and learning; and, acceptance. This form of appraisal has previously been found to be associated with decreased levels of distress when an individual is processing an emotionally painful event. An initial pool of items was created using theory, an informal focus group, a pilot study, and interviews. An exploratory factor analysis was performed, with results indicating a single-factor solution. A second data collection was completed for the purposes of performing a confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was explored in both studies through the administration of multiple measures. Additionally, test-retest reliability and predictive validity were explored in the second study. Results regarding internal validity of the measure were inconsistent. Evidence was found indicating that big picture appraisal is a multifaceted construct, related to other positive emotion regulation strategies.