Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety

背景:死亡焦虑被视为精神病理学症状的风险因素和持续存在的因素。虽然阿拉伯死亡焦虑量表(ASDA)是一种简单而常用的评估工具,但是在国内临床实践中缺少这样的工具。目标:本研究旨在采用多级回译法开发ASDA中文版,即ASDA(C),并研究该量表的心理测量学特性。方法:从国内三个地区的医院和大学共招募了1372名参试者。为了计算出ASDA(C)的效标相关效度与有关死亡和死亡清单的多维度取向表格中文版(MODDI-F/chin)相比较,随机指定49名大学生完成这两份调查问卷。在所有参试者中随机指定56名再做一次ASDA(C)问卷调查,来评估ASDA(C)的一周后重测信度。结果:量表总的Cronbach’sα值为0.91。一周后的重测信度为0.96。探索性因子分析(EFA)显示三个因素,"对死人和坟墓的恐惧,"对致命疾病的恐惧"和"对死亡事件的恐惧",占总方差的57.09%。因而构建三因素模型。量表ASDA(C)总分与MODDI-F/chin的相关系数是0.54,表示信度都可以接受。结论:ASDA(C)有较好的心理测量学特性,说明这是一个可靠有效的量表。该量表能用于讲普通话的中国人群,来评估死亡焦虑。

Background： Death anxiety is regarded as a risk and maintaining factor of psychopathology. While the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety （ASDA） is a brief, commonly used assessment, such a tool is lacking in Chinese clinical practice. Aim： The current study was conducted to develop a Chinese version of the ASDA, i.e., the ASDA（C）, using a multistage back-translation technique, and examine the psychometric properties of the scale. Methods： A total of 1372 participants from hospitals and universities located in three geographic areas of China were recruited for this study. To calculate the criterion-related validity of the ASDA（C） compared to the Chinese version of the longer-form Multidimensional Orientation toward Dying and Death Inventory （MODDI-F/chin）, 49 undergraduates were randomly assigned to complete both questionnaires. Of the total participants, 56 were randomly assigned to retake the ASDA（C） in order to estimate the one-week, test-retest reliability of the ASDA（C）. Results： The overall Cronbach＇s alpha was 0.91 for the whole scale. The one-week, test-retest reliability was 0.96. Exploratory Factor Analysis （EFA） revealed three factors, ＂fear of dead people and tombs,＂ ＂fear of lethal disease,＂ and ＂fear of postmortem events,＂ accounted for 57.09% of the total variance. Factor structure for the three-factor model was sound. The correlation between the total scores on the ASDA（C） and the MODDI-F/chin was 0.54, indicating acceptable concurrent validity. Conclusions： ASDA（C） has adequate psychometrics and properties that make it a reliable and valid scale to assess death anxiety in Mandarin-speaking Chinese.