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Validating the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version (RCADS-25) in Chinese Preadolescents
Shuang Lu1,2, Renhui Lyu3, Bruce F Chorpita4
1School of Social Work, University of Central Florida, 12805 Pegasus Drive, 32816, Orlando, FL, USA. shuanglu@ucf.edu.
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|September 8, 2025
Summary
The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-25) is a reliable tool for screening anxiety and depression in Chinese preadolescents. This study validates its use for large-scale school mental health assessments.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Psychometrics
- Mental Health Screening
Background:
- Global rise in youth anxiety and depression necessitates culturally adaptable assessment tools.
- The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) is widely used but under-validated in Chinese populations.
- The 25-item short-version (RCADS-25) offers a brief screening option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the RCADS-25 in preadolescents in Mainland China.
- To assess the reliability and validity of the RCADS-25 for screening anxiety and depression.
- To determine the scale's suitability for large-scale school mental health initiatives.
Main Methods:
- Administered the RCADS-25 to 534 preadolescents (ages 9-12) in Mainland China.
- Collected self-reports on affect and resilience; parent reports on internalizing/externalizing problems.
- Conducted reliability analyses, validity assessments, and confirmatory factor analysis.
Main Results:
- The RCADS-25 demonstrated adequate reliability and validity in the Chinese sample.
- Scores correlated as expected with affect, resilience, and behavioral difficulties.
- Confirmatory factor analysis supported distinct yet related anxiety and depression constructs.
- Higher RCADS-25 scores were linked to clinical risk levels for internalizing/externalizing problems.
Conclusions:
- The RCADS-25 is psychometrically sound for use with Chinese preadolescents.
- Its brevity makes it suitable for efficient, large-scale mental health screening in schools.
- Supports the RCADS-25 as a valuable tool for identifying at-risk youth in China.
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