Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Threat Appraisal Questionnaire in Assessing Children and Adolescents

Abstract

This study introduces the Threat Appraisal Questionnaire for Children (TAQ-C) and examines its reliability and validity among Chinese children and adolescents. The TAQ-C was administered to 903 children and adolescents, with PSWQ-C, IUSC-12 and MASC used as criterion tools. After two weeks, 38 adolescents completed the TAQ-C retest. The revised Chinese version of the Threat Appraisal Questionnaire presents a three-factor structure, including perceived probability, perceived severity, and coping cost, comprising 36 items. The model fit indices were satisfactory (χ2/df=3.521, RMSEA=0.053, CFI=0.914, TLI=0.906, SRMR=0.048). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis further demonstrated that the revised TAQ-C meets measurement invariance across genders. The TAQ-C scores showed significant correlations with the scores of the criterion questionnaires, indicating good criterion validity. The revised questionnaire demonstrated good reliability, with an overall alpha coefficient of 0.93 for the full scale, a retest reliability of 0.76, and alpha coefficients for the subscales ranging from 0.81 to 0.87. The retest reliability of the subscales ranged from 0.60 to 0.79. The revised Chinese version of the Threat Appraisal Questionnaire shows a three-factor structure and demonstrates overall good reliability and validity among Chinese children and adolescents.