Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form-Version 3 (YSQ-S3)

It is well evidenced that Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) are important mental health determinants, particularly in adolescents and young adults. The short version of the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3) is widely used globally to assess EMS, and has yet to be validated in the Arabic language. The aim of the current study was to validate the Arabic version of the YSQ-S3 in Arabic-speaking young adults from Lebanon. This cross-sectional study was carried out between September and December 2020. A total of 1175 participants was recruited through convenience sampling. The data was collected through an online questionnaire containing the following sections: sociodemographic information about the participants, Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form Version 3 (YSQ-S3), the Lebanese Anxiety Scale (LAS-10), the Beirut Distress Scale (BDS-10) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed a reasonable fit to the 5-domain structure of the questionnaire. All scores showed high McDonald's omega values (0.91-0.97). Additionally, all maladaptive domains were significantly and positively correlated with more depression, anxiety and stress, attesting for their concurrent validity. Finally, analyses supported the measurement invariance of the Arabic YSQ-S3, with no difference found between men and women in all domains. The results of the current study suggest that the YSQ-S3 is a valid instrument to assess EMS among the Arabic-speaking population. The validation of the Arabic version of the YSQ-S3 should facilitate the evaluation of EMS for clinicians in their practices.