Chinese adaptation and validation of the revised Green Paranoid Thoughts Scale

Background The Revised Green Paranoid Thoughts Scale (R-GPTS; 18 items), developed by Freeman et al. (2021), is a widely used self-report measure for assessing paranoid ideation in the general population. While the scale has been validated in several Western cultural contexts, such as France and Poland, its applicability in collectivist cultural settings remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric performance of the R-GPTS in a Chinese population and to develop a culturally appropriate short-form version if needed. Methods A total of 1,348 Chinese university students (931 women, 417 men) completed the Chinese-translated R-GPTS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the factorial structure and psychometric adequacy of the full 18-item scale. Based on exploratory factor analysis results, a brief version of the scale was derived and further validated using CFA. Results The original 18-item Chinese version demonstrated acceptable model fit, but its psychometric performance was suboptimal compared to the original English version. A 9-item short form was subsequently developed, which exhibited improved model fit, high internal consistency, and satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions The findings support the use of the R-GPTS in Chinese cultural contexts. The 9-item brief version, in particular, offers a more efficient and psychometrically robust tool for assessing paranoid thoughts in Chinese populations. Implications : This study expands the cross-cultural applicability of the R-GPTS and provides a time-efficient instrument for research and mental health screening in China. The brief version may be especially useful in settings with limited resources or time constraints.