Validation of the Young Schema Questionnaire: Short Form 3 in Indian Population

Abstract

Young Schema Questionnaire—Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3) which measures Early Maladaptive Schema (EMS) has received limited attention in Indian context. The goal of the study was to validate the psychometric properties of YSQ-S3 in a non-clinical Indian sample using data collected from 702 participants (age range 16–55 years). Based on reliability and confirmatory factor analysis, we established that our data supported Young’s proposed 18 EMS model based on the US population. Additionally, YSQ-S3’s concurrent validity was established with standardized instruments, namely Beck Depression Inventory-II, Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, Big Five Inventory and General Health Questionnaire-12. The findings from our analyses indicated that most EMSs correlated significantly with the validity dimensions. Furthermore, our findings identified age- and gender-related differences across the 18 EMS. Our findings confirmed that YSQ-S3 is a robust psychometric tool for assessing EMS on non-clinical population, and further research is needed to establish its use on clinical population in India.