Validating the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version (RCADS-25) in Chinese Preadolescents

Youth anxiety and depression are rising rapidly worldwide, highlighting the need for efficient school-based assessment tools across sociocultural contexts. The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) is one of the most widely used screening measures, with demonstrated cross-cultural applicability. However, its psychometric properties have rarely been evaluated in Chinese populations. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the 25-item short-version RCADS (RCADS-25) in a sample of 534 preadolescents in Mainland China (ages 9-12, 42% female). Participants completed self-reports on the RCADS-25, positive and negative affect, and psychological resilience, while their parents rated child internalizing and externalizing problems. The RCADS-25 showed adequate reliability and validity in our sample. RCADS-25 scores were positively associated with negative affect and emotional-behavioral difficulties, and negatively associated with positive affect and psychological resilience. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that anxiety and depression are two distinct yet closely related constructs. In addition, participants at risk for clinical-level internalizing and externalizing problems had significantly higher RCADS-25 Total Depression scores. These findings provide initial psychometric support for using the RCADS-25 with Chinese preadolescents. Given its brevity, the RCADS-25 may be a valuable tool for large-scale mental health screening of Chinese students in school settings.