Psychometric Evaluation of an Episodic Future Thinking Variant of the Autobiographical Memory Test – Episodic Future Thinking-Test (EFT-T)

Abstract

Abstract. Future-oriented variants of the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) are often used to assess the generation of specific episodic future thoughts, however, as yet the underlying factor structure of items in this modified test has not been examined. Therefore, over two studies we examined the factor structure and validity of an episodic future thinking variant of the Autobiographical Memory Test (Episodic Future Thinking-Test; EFT-T). In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis ( N = 466) showed a one-factor structure underlying responses to positive, negative, and concrete noun cue words on the EFT-T. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis with a different sample ( N = 304) and using different cue words showed a good fit for a single-factor structure. In both studies, good convergent validity was found with scores on the EFT-T correlating with autobiographical memory specificity scores, with support for divergent factors also. Mixed support was found for associations with measures of mental imagery, and the implications for measurement are discussed. These studies provide the first evidence that the EFT-T unidimensionally assesses specificity in episodic future thinking across two cue word sets.