Chinese Version of the Responses to Positive Affect Questionnaire: Testing the Factor Structure, Reliability, and Validity in a College Student Sample

This study tested the psychometrics of the Chinese version of the Responses to Positive Affect Questionnaire among 915 Chinese college students with an average age of 20.3 yr. (SD = 1.6). The original three-factor model with the factors dampening, emotion-focused positive rumination, and self-focused rumination was supported using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. All subscales showed good internal reliability, as well as evidence for convergent and incremental validity with measures of ego-resiliency, life satisfaction, and mental health symptoms. Finally, a series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the three subscales, especially dampening, accounted for additional unique variance in psychological adjustment above and beyond resilience. These findings generally suggested that the Chinese Responses to Positive Affect Questionnaire possesses acceptable psychometric properties. Implications for counseling, limitations, and suggestions for future study were presented.