AUTHOR=Liu Xiqin , Zhao Yajun , Li Jingguang , Dai Jing , Wang Xiuli , Wang Song 

TITLE=Factor Structure of the 10-Item Perceived Stress Scale and Measurement Invariance Across Genders Among Chinese Adolescents

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00537

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00537

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Chinese adolescents encounter a lot of stressors, such as academic burden and parental pressure. However, little is known about their perception of stress. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a widely used instrument to measure individuals’ appraisal of global stress in academic research and clinical practice. The current study aimed to evaluate the best-fit factor structure model of the PSS-10 and the measurement invariance across genders in Chinese adolescents.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 1,574 Chinese senior high school students completed the PSS-10 (mean age = 15.26 ± 0.56 years, female = 54%). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine the factor structure of the PSS-10. Multigroup CFA was carried out to test the measurement invariance of the PSS-10 across genders. A subsample (<italic>N</italic> = 1,060) answered additional questionnaires measuring stressful life events, anxiety, and depression to examine the convergent and concurrent validity of the PSS-10.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The two-factor model was supported [i.e., χ<sup>2</sup> (34) = 332.224, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001; non-normal fit index (NNFI) = 0.901, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.925, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.075, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.051]. Importantly, the model exhibited strong measurement invariance across female and male groups. Furthermore, the PSS-10 had adequate convergent validity for stressful life events (number: <italic>r</italic> = 0.13, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001; impact: <italic>r</italic> = 0.23, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and could explain incremental variance in predicting anxiety (Δ<italic>R</italic><sup>2</sup> = 0.13, β = 0.38, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and depression (Δ<italic>R</italic><sup>2</sup> = 0.16, β = 0.41, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), suggesting excellent concurrent validity.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>A two-factor model best fits the structure of PSS-10 among Chinese adolescents, with strong measurement invariance between gender groups, demonstrating its validity for assessing perceived stress among Chinese adolescents.</p></sec>