Watch the video on the Psychology Learners YouTube channel! Link is in the document. "We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are." Our brains are wired with shortcuts—heuristics—that help us make quick decisions. But what happens when those shortcuts become "bugs" in our mental software? In this video, we explore the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS), a groundbreaking 42-item tool designed to map the cognitive distortions that underlie mental health conditions, particularly psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. 📝 What is the DACOBS? Developed by Mark van der Gaag and colleagues, the DACOBS represents the "cognitive turn" in psychosis research. Instead of focusing merely on the content of a delusion (what the person believes), the DACOBS measures the process (how the person processes information). 💡 Why is this important? For clinicians practicing CBT for Psychosis (CBTp), the DACOBS is essential for formulation. It moves the conversation away from "madness" and toward "thinking styles." It helps patients understand that their distressing beliefs are often the result of specific, identifiable processing errors—errors that can be corrected. ⚠️ The Insight Paradox: We also discuss a critical limitation of the tool: The Insight Paradox. Since the DACOBS is a self-report measure, it requires the patient to be aware of their own biases. But if a patient has severe Belief Inflexibility, do they have the flexibility to admit it? We explore how to navigate this in clinical practice. 🧠 In This Video, You Will Learn: Origins: The history of the Davos conference and the development of the scale. Structure: Breakdown of the 42 items and 7 subscales. Psychometrics: Reliability data (.85-.92 alpha) and validity in distinguishing psychosis from healthy controls. Scoring: How to interpret the Likert scale results to build a patient profile. Pros & Cons: The efficiency of the tool vs. the risks of self-report bias. 📚 Reference: Van der Gaag, M., et al. (2013). The Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS). Schizophrenia Research, 144(1-3), 63-71. 📢 Join the Conversation: Do you think self-report is an effective way to measure cognitive bias? Or should we rely on behavioral tasks? Share your thoughts in the comments! #Psychology #CBT #Psychosis #CognitiveBias #DACOBS #MentalHealth #Schizophrenia #ClinicalPsychology #Neuropsychology #AssessmentTools #CognitiveTherapy

1. DACOBS
Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases
Scale
A comprehensive tool for
measuring cognitive
problems and biases
Part I: For Everyone Interested
By Aahluwaalyaa
Art
created
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Gemini

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We do not see things
as they are,
we see them
as we are.
Footer
9

10. Contents
Part 1: What is DACOBS
1. Introduction to the Tool
2. History and Evolution
3. Theoretical Foundations
4. Structure
5. Psychometric Properties
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
10
Part 2: How to use the DACOBS
1. Administration
2. Scoring
3. Interpretation
4. Applications
5. Advantages and Limitations
6. Usage Rights and Access

11. Introduction
• 42-item self-report questionnaire
• assesses specific cognitive biases
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
11
Operationalisation
Unlike general IQ tests, it measures how we
process information - specifically focusing
on tendencies like jumping to conclusions or
attributing events to external causes.
The responses are given on a 1 to 7 Likert
scale, ranging from “Strongly Disagree” (1)
to “Strongly Agree” (7).
Core Function
Quantifies subjective cognitive
problems and thinking patterns often
seen in schizophrenia spectrum disorders,
but also present in the general population.

12. History & Evolution: From DAS to DACOBS
• Development
• Developed By: Mark van der Gaag and colleagues (2013).
• Named after the Davos conference where the concepts were refined.
• Context:
• Created during the "cognitive turn" in psychosis research. Therapists needed
a way to measure the processes of delusional thinking, not just the content.
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
12

13. Theoretical Foundations
• Rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp).
• It posits that distinct biases (like 'data gathering bias') contribute to the
formation and maintenance of delusions.
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
13

14. The Structure: 7 subscales across 3 dimensions
Seven distinct cognitive domains containing 6 items each.
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
14
Cognitive Biases
1.Jumping to
Conclusions
2.Belief Inflexibility
3.Attention for Threat
4.External Attribution
Cognitive Limitations
5.Social Cognition
Problems
6.Subjective Cognitive
Problems
Safety Behaviors
7.Safety Behaviors

15. The Structure: 1. Cognitive Biases
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
15
Jumping to
Conclusions
Tendency to make
decisions with little
evidence
Belief
Inflexibility
Reluctance to change
opinions even when
facing new facts
Attention for
Threat
Hyper-vigilance
towards potentially
dangerous stimuli
External
Attribution
Tendency to blame
outside forces or
people for events

16. The Structure: 2. Cognitive Limitations
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
16
Social Cognition Problems
Difficulty understanding social
cues and intentions of others.
Subjective Cognitive Problems
Perceived difficulties in
concentration and thinking
clearly.

17. The Structure: 3. Safety Behaviours
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
17
Safety Behaviors
Actions taken to avoid perceived
threats or anxiety.

18. Psychometric Properties
Reliability
• Internal Consistency:
Cronbach’s alpha 0.90
• Split-Half Reliability: 0.92
• Test-Retest Reliability: 0.86
Validity
• All factors independently
explained the variance
(eigenvalues>2) and total
explained variance was 45%.
• Discriminant Validity: The scale
reliably distinguishes between
healthy controls and individuals
with psychosis.
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Source: Development of the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS). (https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-01601-001)
18
The DACOBS scale, with seven independent
subscales, is reliable and valid for use in clinical
practice and research.

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20. Instructions
Kindly keep these instructions in mind while filling the questionnaire:
• This inventory lists different attitudes or beliefs which people sometimes hold.
• Read each statement carefully and decide how much you agree or disagree with the
statement.
• For each of the attitudes, choose the answer that best describes how you think.
• Because people are different, there is no right answer or wrong answer to these
statements.
• To decide whether a given attitude is typical of your way of looking at things, simply keep
in mind what you were like in the past two weeks.
• The questionnaire may take about 15 minutes to fill – please fill it in a single sitting at a time
when you can fill it with minimum disturbance and maximum focus.
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
20

21. DACOBS
Part II: For Learners and Practitioners
By Aahluwaalyaa
Art
created
using
Gemini
Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases
Scale
A comprehensive tool for
measuring cognitive
problems and biases

22. Contents
Part 1: What is DACOBS
1. Introduction to the Tool
2. History and Evolution
3. Theoretical Foundations
4. Structure
5. Psychometric Properties
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
I
–
What
is
DACOBS
Footer
22
Part 2: How to use the DACOBS
1. Administration
2. Scoring
3. Interpretation
4. Applications
5. Advantages and Limitations
6. Usage Rights and Access

23. Administration
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
23
Method
Format: Self-Report questionnaire. Can be
administered via traditional paper-and-pencil
or through digital survey platforms.
Duration
Time: Brief.
Most individuals complete the 42 items in 10 to
15 minutes.

24. Scoring the DACOBS – Assigning Scores to Items
Assign scores as follows:
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
24
Strongly
Agree
7
Agree
6
Slightly
Agree
5
Undecided
4
Slightly
Disagree
3
Disagree
2
Strongly
Disagree
1

25. Scoring the DACOBS – Calculating Subscale Scores
Calculate subscale scores by adding item scores as follows:
• Cognitive Biases
• Jumping to Conclusions Bias: 3 + 8 + 16 + 18 + 25 + 30
• Belief Inflexibility Bias: 13 + 15 +26 +34 + 38 +41
• Attention for Threat Bias: 1 + 2 + 6 + 10 + 20 + 37
• External Attribution Bias: 7 + 12 + 17 + 22 + 24 +29
• Cognitive Limitations
• Social Cognition Problems: 4 + 9 +11 +14 +19 +39
• Subjective Cognitive Problems: 5 + 21 + 28 + 32 + 36 + 40
• Safety Behaviours: 23 + 27 + 31 + 33 + 35 + 42
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Note: The scores range from 0-10 for all areas except for ‘Activities’ where the score range is 0-9.
25

26. Interpretation of Results
• Range: Scores range from 6 to 42 for each sub-scale
• Direction: Higher scores indicate higher propensity for the cognitive
bias, cognitive limitation, or safety behaviours.
• Standardized Norms: For interpreting the scores, use the norms for
the respondent’s comparative population (if available.)
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
26

27. Real-World Applications
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
27
Clinical Diagnostics
Essential for CBT for
Psychosis (CBTp). It helps
create a "formulation"—
mapping out how a patient's
thinking style maintains
their distress.
Outcome Monitoring
Administered pre- and post-
therapy to see if an
intervention successfully
reduced specific biases like
"Jumping to Conclusions."
Research
Used to understand the
"mechanisms of change" in
psychotherapy and to
explore the continuum of
psychosis or prevalence of
cognitive biases in the
general population.

28. Critical Evaluation
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
28
Advantages Limitations
• It covers a wide range of relevant biases
in a single instrument.
• It focuses specifically on processes
relevant to mental health, making it
more clinically useful than general
decision-making tasks.
• Efficient and easy to administer.
• Limited Coverage: DACOBS covers a
small selected set of biases, limitations
and behaviours.
• As a self-report measure, there is
always a possibility of social desirability
reflecting in the responses.
• Cultural norms may impact some
factors such as External Attribution.

29. Usage Rights & Access
• The DACOBS is an open-access instrument available in the appendix of
the original publication: van der Gaag, M., Schütz, C., ten Napel, A.,
Landa, Y., Delespaul, P., Bak, M., Tschacher, W., & de Hert, M. (2013).
Development of the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale
(DACOBS). Schizophrenia Research, 144(1-3), 63–71.
• Access Link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S09209964120
07025?via%3Dihub
DACOBS:
Davos
Assessment
of
Cognitive
Biases
Scale
–
Part
II
–
How
to
use
the
DACOBS
Footer
29

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