Development and validation of the Chinese university students’ social mentality questionnaire: a four-component model study

BackgroundSocial mentality serves as a crucial psychological barometer of social changes. However, there is a lack of systematic, multidimensional measurement tools specifically tailored for Chinese university students, a group critical to the nation’s future. Based on the theoretical framework of the Cognition-Emotion-Values-Behavior four-component model, this study aimed to develop and validate the Chinese University Students’ Social Mentality Questionnaire (CUSSMQ).MethodsA total of 1,315 university students from 10 universities across China were recruited. The sample was randomly split into two independent subsamples for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA, N = 658) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, N = 657). Item analysis, internal consistency reliability testing, and criterion-related validity testing were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale.ResultsEFA results identified a stable factor structure across four subscales: (1) Social Cognition (6 factors, including distinct Family Support and Social Support); (2) Social Emotion (3 factors, identifying Positive, Oppositional, and Vulnerable emotions); (3) Social Values (initially 4 factors in EFA; Materialism was subsequently removed at the CFA stage due to a non-significant higher-order loading, yielding 3 factors: National Identity, Pragmatism, and Social Responsibility); and (4) Social Behavioral Tendencies (3 factors). CFA indicated excellent model fit for all subscales (CFI ≥ 0.929, TLI ≥ 0.923, RMSEA ≤ 0.068, SRMR ≤ 0.067). The scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α coefficients ranging from 0.72 to 0.95 across dimensions. Criterion-related validity was supported by significant correlations between the CUSSMQ dimensions and prosocial tendencies.ConclusionThe CUSSMQ proves to be a reliable and valid instrument with sound psychometric properties. Its refined dimensional structure, particularly the differentiation in support sources and emotional types, provides a solid empirical foundation for educators and policymakers to monitor and guide the social mentality of Chinese youth in a targeted manner.