Assessing repetitive negative thinking across the adult lifespan: Validation and measurement invariance of the Dutch persistent and intrusive negative thoughts scale (PINTS)

Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic cognitive process implicated in a wide range of psychological disorders. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Dutch Persistent and Intrusive Negative Thoughts Scale (PINTS), a brief, disorder-independent measure of RNT. A total of 905 Dutch-speaking adults completed the PINTS alongside related measures of RNT, emotional distress, well-being, and sleep disturbance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure. The PINTS demonstrated good internal consistency and adequate criterion and concurrent validity. Multigroup analyses supported scalar invariance across gender and partial scalar invariance across age groups. Women reported slightly higher levels of RNT than men, whereas adults aged 65 years and older reported lower levels than younger and middle-aged groups. These findings support the Dutch version of the PINTS as a reliable and valid tool for assessing RNT and for conducting group comparisons in research settings.