Reliability and validity study of the Turkish form of the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS-TR)

Anhedonia, characterized by a diminished capacity to experience pleasure, is a transdiagnostic concept observed across various neuropsychiatric conditions. It can be categorized into two domains based on the timing of pleasurable events: in-the-moment (consummatory) pleasure and anticipatory pleasure. The Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS) assesses these temporal aspects of pleasure. Having received a global response, it has been translated into many languages. This study aims to adapt and validate the TEPS for Turkish use (TEPS-TR).

Data were collected from 222 university students using convenience sampling, following ethical approval. The translated TEPS underwent reliability and validity analyses to assess its applicability and consistency. A set of measures assessing different aspects of anhedonia and apathy was co-administered to evaluate the scale's concurrent validity.

The Cronbach's α coefficient for the 15-item TEPS-TR was 0.823 for the full scale, 0.767 for the anticipatory subscale, and 0.746 for the consummatory subscale. Principal component analyses yielded three factors, explaining 48.87% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis, performed to evaluate the construct validity of the TEPS-TR, indicated an acceptable fit. The total and subscale scores of the TEPS-TR significantly correlated to varying degrees with all scales included in the analysis, except for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

The findings indicate that the TEPS-TR exhibits good reliability and validity in assessing anhedonia. However, further exploration into the distinct elements of anticipatory and consummatory pleasure within clinical populations is needed.