Assessing Hostile Automatic Thoughts: Development and Validation of the HAT Scale

Similar to the measurement of automatic thoughts in depressed persons (Hollon & Kendall, 1980), the Hostile Automatic Thoughts (HAT) Scale was developed and validated as a 30-item self-report index. Comprised of three components, the HAT Scale reflects recurring hostile thoughts that involve physical aggression (11 items), derogation (10 items), and revenge (9 items) toward other people. In a first study, the procurement of an item pool reflecting a full array of hostile thoughts is described, along with exploratory factor analysis, item selection, internal reliability, and convergent and discriminant validation information. In a second cross-validational study, the factor structure is substantiated via confirmatory factor analyses, as is the internal reliability, and the convergent and discriminant validity. The findings related to the HAT Scale are reviewed, including its use as a state, trait, or situation-specific index.