Validation of the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3) in Mexican University Students

The Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) assesses Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) in Schema Therapy, and it has demonstrated adequate psychometric characteristics. However, there is a lack of consistent factorial structures in the available research on the psychometric properties of YSQ versions. This study aimed to adapt, validate, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the short version of the YSQ in Mexican university students. A non-probabilistic sample of 772 Mexican university students from different states of was used. A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were made to compare the proposed instrument with the one proposed by the Schema Therapy. The instrument exhibited a structure of 17 out of the 18 original schemes, organized in the same 5 dimensions proposed in the Schema Therapy, with a total internal consistency level of 0.962. The YSQ-S3-MX version is proposed as a suitable tool for evaluating EMS in Mexican university students, ensuring proper use in clinical practice and research.