Table 2.
Factor loadings resulting from the confirmatory factor analysis (N=448).
| Items | Factors | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM | SO | EPA | PT | |
| If I’m upset, I like knowing what other people would do if they were in my situation. | 1.00 | — | — | — |
| When I’m sad, it helps me to hear how others have dealt with similar feelings. | 0.91 | — | — | — |
| Seeing how others would handle the same situation helps me when I am frustrated. | 0.76 | — | — | — |
| Hearing another person’s thoughts on how to handle things helps me when I am worried. | 0.66 | — | — | — |
| It makes me feel better to learn how others dealt with their emotions. | 0.51 | — | — | — |
| When I feel sad, I seek out others for consolation. | — | 0.95 | — | — |
| I look to others for comfort when I feel upset. | — | 0.96 | — | — |
| I look to other people when I feel depressed just to know that I am loved. | — | 0.91 | — | — |
| I look for other people to offer me compassion when I’m upset. | — | 0.93 | — | — |
| Feeling upset often causes me to seek out others who will express sympathy. | — | 0.76 | — | — |
| When I feel elated, I seek out other people to make them happy. | — | — | 0.88 | — |
| Because happiness is contagious, I seek out other people when I’m happy. | — | — | 0.88 | — |
| I like being in the presence of others when I feel positive because it magnifies the good feeling. | — | — | 0.63 | — |
| Being in the presence of certain other people feels good when I’m elated. | — | — | 0.56 | — |
| I like being around others when I’m excited to share my joy. | — | — | 0.41 | — |
| Having people telling me not to worry can calm me down when I am anxious. | — | — | — | 0.90 |
| When I am annoyed, others can soothe me by telling me not to worry. | — | — | — | 0.83 |
| It helps me deal with my depressed mood when others point out that things aren’t as bad as they seem. | — | — | — | 0.68 |
| Having people remind me that others are worse off helps me when I’m upset. | — | — | — | 0.66 |
| When I am upset, others make me feel better by making me realize that things could be a lot worse. | — | — | — | 0.66 |
SM, Social Modelling; SO, Soothing; EPA, Enhancing Positive Affect; PT, Perspective Taking.