Problem Solving Appraisal and Its Relationship to Career Decision-Making Difficulties and Psychological Adjustment in China

To test the Cultural and Contextual Model of Coping, 2 studies examined the psychometric properties of the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI; Heppner, 1988 ) among Chinese college students. Study 1 ( N = 736) examined the generalizability of the factor structure of the PSI through confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, as well as its relationship with career decision-making difficulties. A revised 18-item Problem Solving Inventory-Chinese (PSI-CN) revealed similar but slightly different factors: Problem Solving Confidence, Reflective Thinking, and Emotional Control. Moreover, the PSI-CN was found to have good estimates of internal consistency, as well as found to be negatively associated with career decision-making difficulties. Study 2 ( N = 357) examined the stability of the 18-item PSI-CN, as well as a relationship with psychological distress. The confirmatory factor analysis again supported the 3-factor model of the PSI-CN. Additional analyses of psychological distress provided additional construct validity estimates for the PSI-CN; problem solving appraisal was negatively associated with psychological distress. Implications of the PSI-CN factor structure are discussed in a Chinese cultural context. Limitations of current study and future lines of research are also discussed.