Development of a Mental Health Scale for College Students

Authors

  • Jing Liu

    Department of Psychology, Teachers College of Beijing Union University, Beijing 100011, China; 

    Learning and Psychological Development Institution for Children and Adolescents, Beijing Union University,
    Beijing 100101, China

  • Jinhong Wu

    Beijing Miyun District Teacher Training Institute, Beijing101520, China

  • Moqian Tian

    Department of Psychology, Teachers College of Beijing Union University, Beijing 100011, China; 

    Learning and Psychological Development Institution for Children and Adolescents, Beijing Union University,
    Beijing 100101, China

  • Shixiang Liu

    Department of Psychology, Teachers College of Beijing Union University, Beijing 100011, China; 

    Learning and Psychological Development Institution for Children and Adolescents, Beijing Union University,
    Beijing 100101, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jpr.v7i4.11529
Received: 10 June 2025 | Revised: 8 August 2024 | Accepted: 26 August 2025 | Published Online: 31 October 2025

Abstract

This study explored the mental health state of college students in Beijing, utilizing previously published literature, theoretical discussion and open-ended questionnaire surveys. As a result, a formal scale is devised after three testing processes that consist of 134 items. The scale primarily consists of three subscales: adaptation, distress, and resilience. The adaptation subscale covers six points: interpersonal relationships, learning, career choice, emotions, self-adaptation, and satisfaction. The distress subscale includes seven aspects: depression, anxiety, somatization, compulsion, Internet addiction, withdrawal and aggression. The resilience subscale consists of four features: self-confidence, positive cognition, problem-solving, and social support. The results show that all three subscales have good reliability and validity. This scale covers the shortcomings of existing tools and can function as a scientific assessment tool for mental health assessment and scaling in colleges and universities.

Keywords:

College Students; Adaptation; Adapt; Distress; Resilience

References

[1] Bernaras Iturrioz, E., Insúa Cerretani, P., Bully Garay, P., 2018. Prevalence and severity of psychological problems in university students. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling. 46(4), 418–428. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2017.1286633

[2] Chen, Y., Zhang, Y., Yu, G., et al., 2022. Prevalence of mental health problems among college students in mainland China from 2010 to 2020: A meta-analysis. Advances in Psychological Science. 30(5), 991–1004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1042.2022.00991

[3] Fang, X.Y., Wo, J.Z., Lin, X.Y., 2005. Development of Chinese college student adjustment scale. Studies of Psychology and Behavior. 3(2), 95–101. Available from: https://psybeh.tjnu.edu.cn/EN/abstract/abstract1106.shtml (cited 9 June 2025). (in Chinese).

[4] Derogatis, L.R., Lipman, R.S., Covi, L., 1973. SCL-90: An outpatient psychiatric rating scale—Preliminary report. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 9(1), 13–28.

[5] Ansari Lari, S., Zumot, M.S., Fredericks, S., 2025. Navigating mental health challenges in international university students: Adapting to life transitions. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 16, 1574953. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1574953

[6] DeVellis, R.F., Thorpe, C.T., 2021. Scale Development: Theory and Applications, 5th ed. SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.

[7] Cohen, R.J., Schneider, W.J., Tobin, R.M., 2021. Psychological Testing and Assessment: An Introduction to Tests and Measurement, 10th ed. McGraw Hill: New York, NY, USA.

[8] DeLongis, A., Coyne, J.C., Dakof, G., et al., 1982. Relationship of daily hassles, uplifts, and major life events to health status. Health Psychology. 1(2), 119–136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.1.2.119

[9] Gao, X., Zheng, R.C., Liu, S.H., 2008. Development of a self-assessment scale for secondary school students' mental health. Educational Measurement and Evaluation (Theoretical Edition). 2008(3), 32–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16518/j.cnki.emae.2008.03.001 (in Chinese)

[10] Xia, X., Wang, X., Wang, Y., 2022. Leisure Satisfaction, Personality, and Psychosexual Adjustment Among College Students: A Latent Profile Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 895411. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895411

[11] Zeng, W., Chen, R., Wang, X., et al., 2019. Prevalence of mental health problems among medical students in China: A meta-analysis. Medicine. 98(18), e15337. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000015337

Downloads

How to Cite

Liu, J., Wu, J., Tian, M., & Liu, S. (2025). Development of a Mental Health Scale for College Students. Journal of Psychological Research, 7(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.30564/jpr.v7i4.11529

Issue

Article Type

Article