Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Validation of a Chinese version of the stress overload scale-short and its use as a screening tool for mental health status

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Although stress emerges when environmental demands exceed personal resources, existing measurement methods for stress focus only on one aspect. The newly-developed Short Stress Overload Scale (SOS-S) assesses the extent of stress by assessing both event load (i.e., environmental demands) and personal vulnerability (i.e., personal resources). The present study was designed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Stress Overload Scale-Short (SOS-SC), and further examine its roles in screening mental health status.

Methods

A total of 1364 participants were recruited from communities and colleges for scale validation.

Results

Reliabilities were good throughout the subsamples (ω > 0.80). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the acceptable goodness-of-fit for the two-factor correlated model (Sample 1: 560 community residents). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis confirmed measurement invariance across community residents (Sample 1) and college students (Sample 2 and Sample 3). Criterion validity and convergent validity were established (Sample 2: 554 college students). Latent moderated structural equations demonstrated that the relationship between SOS-SC and depression is moderated by social support (Sample 2), further validating the SOS-SC. In addition, the SOS-SC effectively screened individuals in a population at different levels of mental health status (i.e., “at risk” vs. “at low risk” for depression symptoms and/or wellbeing).

Conclusion

The SOS-SC exhibits acceptable psychometric properties in the Chinese context. That said, the two aspects of stress can be differentiated by the Chinese context, therefore, the SOS-SC can be used to measure stress and screen mental health status among the Chinese population, and monitor and evaluate health-promoting interventions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. doi:10.1037/0003-066x.44.3.513.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Lazarus, R. S. (1990). Theory-based stress measurement. Psychological Inquiry, 1(1), 3–13. doi:10.1207/s15327965pli0101_1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Li, T. T., Duan, W., & Guo, P. F. (2017). Character strengths, social anxiety, and physiological stress reactivity. Peerj, 5, e3396. doi:10.7717/peerj.3396.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. McGrath, J. E. (1970). A conceptual formulation for research on stress. In J. E. McGath (Ed.), Social and psychological factors in stress (pp. 10–21). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cohen, S., Kessler, R. C., & Gordon, L. U. (1995). Strategies for measuring stress in studies of psychiatric and physical disorders. In S. Cohen, R. C. Kessler & L. U. Gordon (Eds.), Measuring stress: A guide for health and social scientists (pp. 3–26). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Miller, G. E. (2007). Psychological stress and disease. JAMA, 298(14), 1685–1687. doi:10.1001/jama.298.14.1685.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Amirkhan, J. H. (2012). Stress overload: A new approach to the assessment of stress. American Journal of Community Psychology, 49(1–2), 55–71. doi:10.1007/s10464-011-9438-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Amirkhan, J. H., Urizar, G. G., & Clark, S. (2015). Criterion validation of a stress measure: The Stress Overload Scale. Psychological Assessment, 27(3), 985–996. doi:10.1037/pas0000081.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cohen, S., Gianaros, P. J., & Manuck, S. B. (2016). A stage model of stress and disease. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(4), 456–463. doi:10.1177/1745691616646305.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Mcewen, B. S. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: Understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European Journal of Pharmacology, 583(2–3), 174–185. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.11.071.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Martin, P. R. (2016). Stress and primary headache: Review of the research and clinical management. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 20(7), 8. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0576-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dohrenwend, B. S. (2002). Social stress and community psychology. In T. A. Revenson (Ed.), A quarter century of community psychology: Reading from the American Journal of Community Psychology (pp. 103–117). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Bernard, L. C., & Krupat, E. (1994). Health psychology: Bio-psychosocial factor in health and illness. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lessard, J., & Holman, E. A. (2014). FKBP5 and CRHR1 polymorphisms moderate the stress-physical health association in a national sample. Health Psychology, 33(9), 1046–1056. doi:10.1037/a0033968.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Dohrenwend, B. P. (2006). Inventorying stressful life events as risk factors for psychopathology: Toward resolution of the problem of intracategory variability. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 477–495. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.477.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Hobfoll, S. E., Schwarzer, R., & Chon, K. K. (1998). Disentangling the stress labyrinth: Interpreting the meaning of the term stress as it is studied in health context. Anxiety Stress and Coping, 11(3), 181–212. doi:10.1080/10615809808248311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Brantley, P., Jones, G., & Boudreaux, E. (1997). Weekly stress inventory. In C. Zalaquett & R. Wood. (Eds.), Evaluating stress: A book of resources (pp. 405–420). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Windle, G., Bennett, K. M., & Noyes, J. (2011). A methodological review of resilience measurement scales. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 9, 18. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-9-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mazure, C. M. (1998). Life stressors as risk factors in depression. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 5(3), 291–313. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2850.1998.tb00151.x.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Duan, W. (2016). The benefits of personal strengths in mental health of stressed students: A longitudinal investigation. Quality of Life Research, 25(11), 2879–2888. doi:10.1007/s11136-016-1320-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Dahlin, M., Joneborg, N., & Runeson, B. (2005). Stress and depression among medical students: A cross-sectional study. Medical Education, 39(6), 594–604. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02176.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Assari, S., & Lankarani, M. M. (2016). Association between stressful life events and depression: Intersection of race and gender. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 3(2), 349–356. doi:10.1007/s40615-015-0160-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mazurka, R., Wynne-Edwards, K. E., & Harkness, K. L. (2016). Stressful life events prior to depression onset and the cortisol response to stress in youth with first onset versus recurrent depression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(6), 1173–1184. doi:10.1007/s10802-015-0103-y.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Hammen, C. L. (2014). Stress and depression: Old questions, new approaches. Current Opinion in Psychology, 4, 80–85. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2014.12.024.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Duan, W., Ho, S. M., Siu, B. P., Li, T., & Zhang, Y., (2015). Role of virtues and perceived life stress in affecting psychological symptoms among Chinese college students. Journal of American College Health, 63(1), 32–39. doi:10.1080/07448481.2014.963109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Monroe, S. M., Slavich, G. M., & Gotlib, I. H. (2014). Life stress and family history for depression: The moderating role of past depressive episodes. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 49, 90–95. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.11.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.98.2.310.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Amirkhan, J. H. (2016). A brief stress diagnostic tool: The short Stress Overload Scale. Assessment. doi:10.1177/1073191116673173.

    Google Scholar 

  30. World Health Organization. (2017). Mental health: A state of well-being. Retrieved March 12, 2017 from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/.

  31. Dodge, R., Daly, A. P., Huyton, J., & Sanders, L. D. (2012). The challenge of defining wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(3), 222–235. doi:10.5502/ijw.v2i3.4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. -Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Van de Vijver, F., & Hambleton, R. K. (1996). Translating tests. European Psychologist, 1(2), 89–99. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.1.2.89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Beaton, D. E., Bombardier, C., Guillemin, F., & Ferraz, M. B. (2000). Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine, 25(25), 3186–3191. doi:10.1097/00007632-200012150-00014.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Zhou, K. N., Lie, H. X., Wei, X. L., Yin, J., Liang, P. F., Zhang, H. M., et al. (2015). Reliability and validity of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support in Chinese mainland patients with methadone maintenance treatment. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 60, 182–188. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2015.03.007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression, anxiety and stress Scales (2 edn.). Sydney: Psychological Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wang, K., Shi, H. S., Geng, F. L., Zou, L. Q., Tan, S. P., Wang, Y., Neumann, D. L., Shum, D. H. K., & Chan, R. C. K. (2016). Cross-cultural validation of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 in China. Psychological Assessment, 28(5), E88–E100. doi:10.1037/pas0000207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Reise, S. P., & Waller, N. G. (2009). Item response theory and clinical measurement. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 5(5), 27–48. doi:10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153553.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Su, R., Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2014). The development and validation of the comprehensive inventory of thriving (CIT) and the brief inventory of thriving (BIT). Applied Psychology: Health and Well Being, 6(3), 251–279. doi:10.1111/aphw.12027.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Duan, W., Guan, Y., & Gan, F. (2016). Brief inventory of thriving: A comprehensive measurement of wellbeing. Chinese Sociological Dialogue, 1(1), 15–31. doi:10.1177/2397200916665230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Stochl, J., Jones, P. B., Perez, J., Khandaker, G. M., Böhnke, J. R., & Croudace, T. J. (2016). Effects of ignoring clustered data structure in confirmatory factor analysis of ordered polytomous items: A simulation study based on PANSS. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 25(3), 205–219. doi:10.1002/mpr.1474.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Sorra, J. S., & Dyer, N. (2010). Multilevel psychometric properties of the AHRQ hospital survey on patient safety culture. BMC Health Services Research, 10, 199. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-10-199.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Hayes, A. F. (2006). A primer on multilevel modeling. Human Communication Research, 32(4), 385–410. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2006.00281.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Janjua, N. Z., Khan, M. I., & Clemens, J. D. (2006). Estimates of intraclass correlation coefficient and design effect for surveys and cluster randomized trials on injection use in Pakistan and developing countries. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 11(12), 1832–1840. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2006.01736.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modeling: Sensitivity to underparameterized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3(4), 424–453. doi:10.1037//1082-989x.3.4.424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Cheung, G. W., & Rensvold, R. B. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9(2), 233–255. doi:10.1207/s15328007sem0902_5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Duan, W., & Bu, H. (2017). Development and initial validation of a short three-dimensional inventory of character strengths. Quality of Life Research, 26(9), 2519–2531. doi:10.1007/s11136-017-1579-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Chen, F. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14(3), 464–504. doi:10.1080/10705510701301834.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–162). Nwebury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Niu, L., Qiu, Y., Luo, D., Chen, X., Wang, M., Pakenham, K. I., et al. (2016). Cross-culture validation of the HIV/AIDS stress scale: The development of a revised Chinese version. PloS ONE, 11(4), e0152990. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152990.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  52. Asparouhov, T., & Muthen, B. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 16(3), 397–438. doi:10.1080/10705510903008204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Marsh, H. W., Liem, G. A. D., Martin, A. J., Morin, A. J. S., & Nagengast, B. (2011). Methodological measurement fruitfulness of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM): New approaches to key substantive issues in motivation and engagement. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 29(4), 322–346. doi:10.1177/0734282911406657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Mu, W., & Duan, W. (2017). Evaluating the construct validity of Stress Overload Scale-Short using exploratory structural equation modeling. Journal of Health Psychology. doi:10.1177/1359105317738322.

  55. Wang, K., Cai, L., Qian, J., & Peng, J. (2014). Social support moderates stress effects on depression. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 8, 41. doi:10.1186/1752-4458-8-41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  56. Leidy, N. K., Revicki, D. A., & Geneste, B. (1999). Recommendations for evaluating the validity of quality of life claims for labeling and promotion. Value in Health, 2(2), 113–127. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4733.1999.02210.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 17CSH073); Wuhan University Humanities and Social Sciences Academic Development Program for Young Scholars “Sociology of Happiness and Positive Education” (Grant No. Whu2016019).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Wenjie Duan & Wenlong Mu

Authors
  1. Wenjie Duan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wenlong Mu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wenjie Duan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Wenjie Duan and Wenlong Mu declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Appendix A

Appendix A

See Table 6.

Table 6 English/Chinese Version of Short Stress Overload Scale
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Duan, W., Mu, W. Validation of a Chinese version of the stress overload scale-short and its use as a screening tool for mental health status. Qual Life Res 27, 411–421 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1721-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1721-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation