Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Mentalization Scale in the general population and patients with schizophrenia: A multicenter study in China

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Chinese version of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) for reliability and validity, as well as its ability to differentiate among levels of mentalization in the general population and patients with schizophrenia. The study evaluated Sample 1: a non-clinical population (n = 412) including college students and community participants; and Sample 2: clinical patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 200). Participants completed the MentS, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-C (IRI-C), the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures Scale (ECR-RS), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The internal consistency coefficient of MentS was 0.730 for the clinical sample and 0.771 for the non-clinical sample. The test–retest reliability was between 0.57 and 0.72. Model fit for the original three-factor model showed acceptable fit indices (RMSEA = 0.070, GFI = 0.847, AGFI = 0.818, CFI = 0.710). The MentS showed significant correlations with the IRI-C, the ECR-RS, and the TAS-20. An independent samples t-test showed significant differences between the MentS scores of the two samples. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was 0.640 (95%CI:0.591–0.688). The Chinese version of the MentS has good psychometric properties and distinguishes well between the general population and patients with schizophrenia, making it a promising self-report instrument for mentalization ability.