A novel construct of anhedonia revealed in a Chinese sample via the Revised Physical and Social Anhedonia Scales

Abstract Background: Anhedonia is experienced as a symptom of a number of mental disorders including major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophreniaand schizotypal personality disorder, and schizophrenia (as a negative symptom). The Revised Physical Anhedonia Scale (RPAS) and the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (RSAS) have been applied in clinical and non-clinical samples since 1980s. However, the factor structure of the RPAS has not been determined and the structure of the RSAS remains controversial. The construct of a unified RPAS&RSAS has never been explored. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine the factor structure of the RPAS, the RSAS and the unified RPAS&RSAS.Methods: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the RPAS and the RSAS were determined in a sample of 3,435 Chinese young adults. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were each conducted in halves of the sample to reveal the constructs of the RPAS and the RSAS. CFA was used to evaluate first- and second-order models for the unified RPAS&RSAS .Results: The psychometric robustness of the RPAS and the RSAS were confirmed by high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.884, 0.835) and test-retest reliablity (r = 0.572, 0.602) values. EFA and CFA indicated 2-factor structures for both scales, with the factors being defined as anticipatory physical/social anhedonia and consummatory physical/social anhedonia. The second-order model of the unified RPAS&RSAS had satisfactory fit index values (CFI=0.901, RMSEA=0.055).Conclusions: The unified simplified Chinese RPAS&RSAS can be used to assess anhedonia in young adults. A novel second-order structure of anhedonia was revealed.