Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of social anxiety scale for social media users and cross-sectional investigation into this disorder among college students

Effects of Social Anxiety and Subjective Well-Being on Problematic Mobile Social Media Use in First-Year University Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

Background: Problematic mobile social media use may impact college students' physical and mental health. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of social anxiety and subjective well-being on problematic mobile social media use and the mediating role of self-esteem in this relationship. Methods: A total of 387 first-year university students (39.8% females, 60.2% males; mean age = 18.74 years) were enrolled in this study and completed self-report measures of social anxiety, subjective well-being, self-esteem and problematic mobile social media use. A structural equation model was constructed and tested by AMOS 23.0 software. Results: (1) Social anxiety not only had a direct effect on problematic mobile social media use, but also had an indirect effect on problematic mobile social media use via self-esteem. (2) Subjective well-being was positively and significantly associated with self-esteem, as well as problematic mobile social media use. (3) Self-esteem played a suppressing role between subjective well-being and problematic mobile social media use. Conclusions: It is necessary to help college students reduce their social anxiety and increase their subjective happiness through appropriate ways, as this plays an important role in increasing self-esteem and reducing their problematic mobile social media use.

The effect of social suspicion on social media addiction among Chinese college students: A moderated mediation model

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the impact of social suspicion on social media addiction among Chinese college students, examining the mediating role of the sense of meaning in life and the moderating effect of gender.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 19, 2023, to November 2, 2023, involving 1,558 students from three universities in southern Anhui Province, China. Participants completed questionnaires assessing social suspicion, social media addiction, and the sense of meaning in life. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis, Hayes' PROCESS macro, and bootstrap methods to test mediation and moderation effects.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a bidirectional relationship between social suspicion and social media addiction. Social suspicion positively predicted social media addiction, with the sense of meaning in life mediating this relationship. Gender moderated the mediating effect, as the indirect effect of social suspicion on social media addiction through the sense of meaning in life was significantly stronger among female students compared to male students. Additionally, social media addiction also positively predicted social suspicion, with the sense of meaning in life and gender moderating this relationship.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals a bidirectional relationship between social suspicion and social media addiction among Chinese college students, mediated by a sense of meaning in life and moderated by gender. Social suspicion directly drives addiction while indirectly exacerbating it through reduced the sense of meaning in life, with females showing stronger mediation effects and males exhibiting heightened susceptibility to suspicion when addicted. These findings emphasize the need for gender-tailored interventions to address psychological vulnerabilities and mitigate risks of digital overuse.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the M.D. Anderson symptom Inventory-Multiple Myeloma Module: a translation and validation study

BACKGROUND

The reliability of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Multiple Myeloma Module (MDASI-MM) was evaluated through its Chinese translation among Chinese patients with multiple myeloma.

METHODS

The MDASI-MM scale underwent translation into Chinese following Brislin's two-way translation paradigm, incorporating ortho-translation, back-translation, pre-surveying, and cultural adaptation. The scale's validity and reliability were assessed using a sample of five hundred multiple myeloma patients from three tertiary general hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China, selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics provided demographic information, while item analysis evaluated scale components. The scale's validity was assessed through content, construct, discriminant, convergent, and criterion validity analyses. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency and split-half reliability measures, while responsiveness was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of the MDASI-MM scale consists of 26 items, including 13 core symptom items, seven multiple myeloma-specific symptom items, and six interference items. The item-level content validity index ranges from 0.889 to 1.000, the scale-level content validity index/universal agreement is 0.846, and the scale-level content validity index/average is 0.983. Validated factor analysis showed good model fit with χ2/df = 1.687, GFI = 0.879, RMSEA = 0.053, CFI = 0.913, NFI = 0.813, TLI = 0.899, IFI = 0.915, AGFI = 0.848. The combination reliability (CR) values ranged from 0.747 to 0.865, and the average variance extracted (AVE) ranged from 0.529 to 0.643. Each dimension's correlation coefficient with other dimensions was lower than the corresponding AVE's square root. The total scale demonstrated a Cronbach's alpha of 0.908 (range: 0.856-0.889) and split-half reliability of 0.890 (range: 0.873-0.916).

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the MDASI-MM scale demonstrates robust validity and reliability for evaluating clinical features in Chinese patients with multiple myeloma. This comprehensive symptom assessment tool enables healthcare professionals to examine disease characteristics thoroughly, providing a foundation for developing targeted and effective symptom management strategies.

Validation of the Chinese version of the perceived medical school stress (PMSS) scale and analysis of the associated factors

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, mental health and stress among medical students have become a global concern. Currently, China lacks a scale specifically designed to assess stress levels in medical school settings. This study aims to cross-culturally translate and adapt the Perceived Medical School Stress (PMSS) Scale into Chinese, evaluate its psychometric properties in medical schools, and analyze the associated factors of medical students' stress levels.

METHODS

Data collection for the Chinese version of the PMSS was conducted from October to November 2023, among medical students from selected medical schools in North and East China. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to evaluate the underlying factor structure. Content validity was assessed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Criterion validity was evaluated with the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Internal consistency was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega coefficient, and test-retest reliability. Additionally, relationships between medical school stress and general demographic characteristics, insomnia severity, and self-efficacy were examined.

RESULTS

The final Chinese version of the PMSS supports a two-factor structure with 13 items, defined as "psychological stress and environment" and "resilience and expectations." The scale's Content Validity Index (CVI) was 0.980, with a criterion validity of 0.767. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.911, McDonald's Omega coefficient was 0.914, and the test-retest reliability was 0.794. Medical school stress levels showed significant differences based on gender and educational background (P < 0.05). Stress levels were positively correlated with insomnia severity and negatively correlated with self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the PMSS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing stress levels among medical students in Chinese medical schools. Female students and those pursuing graduate degrees report higher levels of medical stress. Insomnia severity and self-efficacy significantly influence stress levels among medical students.

Psychometric properties of anxiety sensitivity Index-3 among Chinese college students and its preliminary application among this population experiencing campus lockdown

PURPOSE

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) refers to fear of anxiety-related sensory arousal and has been revealed to be associated with increased psychological distress and mental problems. Although Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3) has been confirmed to be effective in evaluating this construct, whether it is consistently applicable in college students is still elusive. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of Chinese version of ASI-3 (C-ASI-3) among college students experiencing campus lockdown due to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

A total of 1532 Chinese college students (397, 25.9% males) aged between 16 and 25 were included in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to verify the factor structure of C-ASI-3. Multi-group CFA was conducted for analysis of measurement invariance with regard to gender. McDonald's omega values were computed for examination of scale reliability. For criterion, convergent, and divergent validity, average variance extracted (AVE) values for C-ASI-3 subscales, difference between square root of AVE for each factor and inter-factor correlation, as well as pearson correlation and partial correlation between the C-ASI-3 and other three scales, including the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19 S) were evaluated.

RESULTS

The C-ASI-3 presented a three-factor scale structure with fit indices being as follows: χ2/df = 11.590, CFI = 0.938, RMSEA = 0.083, SRMR = 0.042. Strict measurement invariance was reached across gender. Regarding convergent validity, the C-ASI-3 had a high correlation with the DASS-21 (r = 0.597, p < 0.01) and the STAI (r = 0.504, p < 0.01). All AVE values for C-ASI-3 subscales were above 0.5. In terms of divergent validity, the C-ASI-3 had medium correlation with the FCV-19 S (r = 0.360, p < 0.01). Square of root of AVE for each factor was higher that inter-factor correlation. McDonald's omega values of the three dimensions ranged from 0.898 ~ 0.958.

CONCLUSION

The C-ASI-3 has acceptable psychometric properties among college students. College students with different gender have consistent understanding on the scale construct.

Testing, revision and application of the social anxiety scale for Chinese social media users

This study aims to modify the Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) to make it more suitable for assessing social anxiety among Chinese social media users, taking into account the unique cultural nuances and social media usage patterns in China. Consequently, a systematic approach was adopted, involving three distinct studies. Study 1 involved translating the English scale into Chinese, conducting interviews with Chinese social media users, and subsequently revising the scale items based on the interview data to ensure cultural appropriateness. Study 2 employed an online survey to collect data and examine the reliability and construct validity of the revised scale, including a two-phase approach: an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with 500 participants to identify the underlying factor structure, and a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 408 participants was used to cross-validate the results. Thus far, this study has developed a social anxiety scale for Chinese mobile social media users (SAS-CMSMU) consisted of 11 items on three factors: Interaction Anxiety, Privacy Concern Anxiety, and Shared Content Anxiety. Study 3 (N = 1,006) applied the SAS-CMSMU to assess social anxiety among Wechat users. The results indicated that participants showed a high level of overall social anxiety (M = 3.646 > 3). Specifically, Privacy Anxiety was the most pronounced, followed by Shared Content Anxiety and Interaction Anxiety. Moreover, significant statistical differences in social anxiety levels were found among WeChat users across gender, age, education, income, and relationship status.

Left-behind experience and mobile phone addiction among college students: A moderated mediation of social anxiety and sex

Background

With the popularity of smartphone among Chinese college students, mobile phone addiction (MPA) is emerging a remarkable behavior problem in this population. Thus, the present study was aimed at investigating a moderated mediation model of left-behind experience (LBE) affecting MPA via social anxiety moderated by sex difference.

Methods

A total of 1268 college students (Mage = 20.74, SD = 2.21) were recruited to complete self-administered questionnaires of mobile phone addiction index (MPAI) and interaction anxiousness scale (IAS). The participants also reported their sex, grade, and childhood and juvenile LBE.

Results

The results indicated that LBE increased the level of MPA among college students via mediation by social anxiety. Furthermore, sex moderated the influence of social anxiety on MPA in the mediating model. Specifically, social anxiety affects male college students more strongly than female ones in terms of MPA.

Conclusion

Our findings support that LBE, social anxiety, and sex difference should be critically included into consideration when performing interventions to buffer MPA among college students.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour and research of its influencing factors

BACKGROUND

Social media has become an indispensable part of contemporary young people's lives, and the influence of social media on college students' eating and other health-related behaviors has become increasingly prominent. However, there is no assessment tool to determine the effects of social media on Chinese college students' eating behavior. This study aims to translate the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) into Chinese. Its applicability to Chinese college students was examined through reliability and validity indexes, and the influencing factors of SESMEB were explored.

METHODS

The questionnaire survey included 2374 Chinese college students. The Brislin translation model was used to translate the original scale into Chinese. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the construct validity of the scale, and the content validity of the scale was assessed through the content validity index. The internal consistency of the scale was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega coefficient, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential influences on the effects of social media on eating behavior.

RESULTS

EFA supported the one-factor structure, and the factor loadings of each item on this dimension were higher than 0.40. CFA showed good model fitness indexes. The content validity index of the scale was 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and McDonald's Omega coefficient for the scale were 0.964, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.953, and the test-retest reliability was 0.849. Gender, education, major, frequency of social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism explained 73.8% of the variance in the effects of social media on eating behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The Chinese version of the SESMEB has good psychometric properties and is a valid measurement tool for assessing the effects of social media on college students' eating behavior. Subjects who were female, highly educated, non-medical, had frequent social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism used social media to have a higher impact on eating behavior.