Assessment Scale for Psychological Disorder Risks among Chinese College Students: Development and Preliminary Validation

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and preliminarily validate a psychological disorder risk assessment scale for Chinese college students, with an emphasis on early prevention and screening. Through literature analysis, item translation, and adaptation, a preliminary version of the scale was constructed and subjected to psychometric testing, including item analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The final version consists of 14 items and three factors: behavioral impulsivity, somatic anxiety manifestations, and depression with worry. EFA revealed a clear three-factor structure, cumulatively accounting for 63.38% of the total variance. However, CFA results indicated that the model fit did not reach ideal standards (TLI = 0.890, RMSEA > 0.08), which may be attributed to the small sample size and the lack of true cross-validation, as well as the complexity of psychological symptoms among college students. Despite these limitations, the scale serves as a preventive screening tool with the advantages of brevity and ease of administration. Future research should further validate the scale with larger samples, optimize the items, and establish more scientific normative standards to enhance its applicability and authority.