The Generic Sense of Ability to Adapt Scale (GSAAS) in adults with mild to moderate psychological complaints

This data was retreived in the context of a two phased study introducing a new instrument to measure the generic sense of ability to adapt. In the first phase the items of the GSAAS were generated and field tested in a non-clinical sample. In the second phase the psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated using a cross-sectional design among 496 adults with mild to moderate psychological complaints. We performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and tested the measurement invariance of the GSAAS across subgroups. In addition, we examined the internal consistency and assessed its construct validity by calculating the correlations between the GSAAS and convergent measures (sense of coherence, psychological complaints and well-being). The GSAAS appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess people’s generic sense of the ability to adapt and has the potential to be used in both clinical settings and research settings. It is a practical and quick tool measuring a competence relevant to all individuals daily to maintain their (mental) health.