# Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the Break-up Distress Scale for college students

## TL;DR

This study validated a Chinese version of the Break-up Distress Scale for college students, showing it is reliable and effective for measuring emotional distress after breakups.

## Contribution

The study provides a culturally adapted and validated version of the Break-up Distress Scale for Chinese college students.

## Key findings

- The Chinese version of the BDS showed strong reliability with a Cronbach’s α of 0.964.
- The scale demonstrated strict equivalence across genders and breakup initiators.
- Males reported higher distress scores than females, and dumped individuals had higher scores than initiators.

## Abstract

This study aimed to revise the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the Break-up Distress Scale (BDS) for college students.

A total of 669 college students with breakup experience in the last 6 months were selected using the online survey platform Questionnaire Star and randomly divided into two groups: Sample 1 for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Sample 2 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Depression, anxiety, and sleep subscales of the DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Adult were used as criterion tools.

The EFA supported the one-dimensional model of the original scale. The CFA showed that the model structure fit well (χ2/df = 1.792, GFI = 0.935, AGFI = 0.915, NFI = 0.958, RMSEA = 0.048). Cronbach’s α of the BDS was 0.964, and the total score of the scale was significantly and positively correlated with the criterion scales. The scale demonstrated strict equivalence across genders and breakup initiators. Males’ scores were significantly higher than those of females, and the break-up distress scores of breakup initiators were significantly lower than those of dumped people.

The Chinese version of the BDS can be used to assess distress in Chinese college students. The scale has satisfactory reliability and validity.