Psychometric investigation of the Chinese version of the Habit, Reward and Fear Scale (HRFS)

Tobacco use is one of the most important risk factors for health, and China is the largest producer and consumer of tobacco in the world. Monitoring and controlling the tobacco epidemic is an important issue. However, the motivation underlying smoking behavior is complex and specific to the individual. The Habit, Reward and Fear Scale (HRFS) is a feasible tool to evaluate this complex motivation.

To validate the psychometric properties of the HRFS Chinese version (HRFS-C) and to assess the relationship between motivation and smoking behavior.

We recruited 967 participants through social media and assessed their smoking behavior with three instruments: the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence-Chinese version (FTND-C), the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief Scale-Chinese version (QSU-brief-C), and the HRFS-C. Ultimately, we retained 700 valid data points. Cronbach's α and split-half tests were used to evaluate the reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson's r and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate the validity. In addition, linear regression was used to explore the relationship among the three instruments. The HRFS-C showed good homogeneity (α = 0.965), concurrent validity, and discriminant validity. A significant linear relationship was observed among the FTND-C, QSU-brief-C, and HRFS-C (p < .001).

The motivation measured by the HRFS-C can significantly predict nicotine dependence and craving in the smoking population. The HRFS-C can be used to carry out targeted interventions for addicted patients (e.g., motivational enhancement therapy).