Abstract
BackgroundsThe Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) Inventory is a widely used self-report questionnaire which is designed to comprehensively evaluate the protective factors and negative risk factors associated with suicidal behaviors among adolescents. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the PANSI in a non-clinical sample of Chinese adolescents.MethodsParticipants (N = 1198) were Chinese middle school students aged 11–17 years (44.8% boys and 51.9% girls, 3.3% missing values) in Guizhou Province. All participants completed the Chinese version of the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory (PANSI-C), the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE), and the suicide probability scale (SPS). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson’s correlations, and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis tests were conducted thereafter.ResultsThe results showed that the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the two subscales of the PANSI-positive suicide ideation and the PANSI-negative suicide ideation were .696 and .915, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the fit of the two-factor model as the best fitting model [Chi-square goodness of fit = 703.859, p < .001, degrees of freedom = 76, comparative fit index = .919, Tucker–Lewis index = .903, standardized root mean square residual = .047, root mean square error of approximation (90% CI) = .083 (.077, .089)]. Positive suicide ideation had negative correlations with the SPS and positive correlations with the RSE, whereas the negative suicide ideation had positive correlations with the SPS and negative correlations with the RSE. All correlations were statistically significant (p < .001), demonstrating the criterion validity of the PANSI-C. Moreover, the strict measurement invariance of the PANSI-C was supported across gender, single-parent and non-single-parent households groups, and the strong measurement invariance was supported across age.LimitationsThe feasibility of this study is limited to Chinese normal adolescents and lack of clinical samples.ConclusionEmpirical support for the reliability and validity of the PANSI-C was found. The PANSI-C instrument is found to be useful in assessing positive and negative suicide ideation in Chinese normal adolescents.
Highlights
Suicide is a widespread issue of concern worldwide
The confirmatory factor analysis results showed acceptable fitting indices of the two-factor model—χ2 = 703.859, p < .001, df = 76, χ2/df = 9.261, comparative fit index (CFI) = .919, Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = .903, Standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = .047, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .083 (.077, .089)—and the relative fitting indices of CFI and TLI were all above
These results show that the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI)-C is morphologically invariant among these groups, that is, suicidal ideation in these groups can be measured by the 14 items of the PANSI-C and the same factor structure
Summary
Suicide is a widespread issue of concern worldwide. 800,000 people died of suicide in 2016, with 1 person dying by suicide every 40 s, and even more attempting suicide [54]. According to the survey of WHO, mortality is expected to increase to one person every 20 s [54], the issue of suicide has become more serious. Suicide is of increasing concern worldwide, due to its heightened impact on adolescents, as well as the serious impacts it can have on other individuals, families, and societies related to the individual attempting suicide. There have been numerous efforts made to improve abilities to identify adolescents at elevated risk of suicide, so as to prevent and effectively reduce the youth suicide rate [15, 37]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
