Factors in the Self-Deception Questionnaire: Associations with depression.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 48(6) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2008-10977-001). Errors appear in Table 2 on page 247. The factor loading for Item 7 (.65) is listed under Factor 2 and it should be under Factor 4. The factor loading for Item 18 (.54) is listed under Factor 2 and it should be under Factor 3.] Administered the Self-Deception Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to 60 male and 52 female undergraduates and replicated the negative correlation found by H. A. Sackeim and R. C. Gur (1978; see also PA, Vol 62:6213). The SDQ was factor analyzed to determine which factors might account for this correlation with depression. Analysis showed that the 3 largest factors, identified by content themes of relationship with parents, emotionality, and denial of tabooed activities, correlated reliably with the BDI. Acceptable conceptualizations of distortion and reality and data that empirically relate those conceptualizations to depression and other forms of psychopathology are needed to clarify any associations that exist between cognitive accuracy and emotional functioning.