Psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity Scale (IRSS-Thai) among Thai secondary school students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64838/jmht.2026.287034Keywords:
principal component analysis, psychometric properties, rejection sensitivity, Thai adolescentsAbstract
Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity Scale (IRSS-Thai) among Thai adolescents.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 520 secondary school students in grades 7 - 12 aged 11 - 18 years in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. The original instrument was adapted and translated into Thai following forward and backward translation procedures, with review by the original developer and expert panels. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and corrected item-total correlations (CITCs). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to examine the underlying component structure of the IRSS-Thai, with item loadings and communalities to evaluate the adequacy of the items.
Results: The 11-item IRSS-Thai demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .91 and CITCs ranging from .55 to .72. PCA supported a single-component structure, with an eigenvalue of 5.72, explaining 52.0% of the total variance. All items contributed adequately to the underlying construct of rejection sensitivity, with loadings ranging from .63 to .78 and communalities ranging from .39 to .61.
Conclusion: The IRSS-Thai appears suitable for assessing rejection sensitivity among Thai adolescents, with high internal consistency and an appropriate single-component structure. However, further studies examining its convergent validity and establishing normative data and appropriate cut-off scores are needed before its use for screening and assessment of adolescents in educational and clinical settings in the Thai context.
Downloads
References
Downey G, Feldman SI. Implications of rejection sensitivity for intimate relationships. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1996;70(6):1327-43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.70.6.1327
London B, Downey G, Bonica C, Paltin I. Social causes and consequences of rejection sensitivity. J Res Adolesc. 2007;17(3):481-506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00531.x
Rohner RP, Ali S, Filus A, Senese VP, Molaver A, Ahmed RA, et al. Reliability and validity of the interpersonal rejection sensitivity scale: a multicultural study. Curr Psychol. 2024;43(9):7986-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04980-9
World Health Organization. Mental Health and Social Connection in Thailand [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 [cited 2026 Mar 12]. Available from: https://www.who.int/thailand/news/feature-stories/detail/mental-health-and-social-connection-in-thailand
Pratummanee W, Sangsuwan T, Jatchavala C, Sirirak T. Facing the pandemic aftermath: exploring depression and mental health service usage among first-year university students in southern Thailand. Front Psychiatry. 2025;16:1555361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1555361
Kemp S. Digital 2025: Thailand [Internet]. DataReportal; 2025 Mar 3 [cited 2026 Mar 11]. Available from: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-thailand
Sajid B, Zeb R, Riaz MN. Urdu translation and adaptation of Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity Scale. Pak J Psychol Res. 2022;37(4):569-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33824/PJPR.2022.37.4.34
Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. Hillsdale (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988.
Comrey AL, Lee HB. A first course in factor analysis. 2nd ed. Hillsdale (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1992.
Khaletabad NA, Radfar M, Khademi M, Khalkhali H. Caring Behaviors Inventory-24: translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric testing for using in nurses and patients. BMC Nurs. 2023;22(1):82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01248-2
Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-200012150-00014
Cruchinho P, López-Franco MD, Capelas ML, Almeida S, Bennett PM, Miranda da Silva M, et al. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of measurement instruments: a practical guideline for novice researchers. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2024;17:2701-28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S419714
Sousa VD, Rojjanasrirat W. Translation, adaptation and validation of instruments or scales for use in cross-cultural health care research: a clear and user-friendly guideline. J Eval Clin Pract. 2011;17(2):268-74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2753.2010.01434.x
Polit DF, Beck CT. The content validity index: are you sure you know what’s being reported? Critique and recommendations. Res Nurs Health. 2006;29(5):489-97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20147
Polit DF, Beck CT, Owen SV. Is the CVI an acceptable indicator of content validity? Appraisal and recommendations. Res Nurs Health. 2007;30(4):459-67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20199
Nunnally JC, Bernstein IH. Psychometric theory. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1994.
Hair JF, Black WC, Babin BJ, Anderson RE. Multivariate data analysis. 8th ed. Hampshire (UK): Cengage Learning EMEA; 2019.
Warton W, Byrne ML, Kiekens WJ. Development and validation of the sexual minority adolescent rejection sensitivity scale short form. J Sex Res. 2026;63(5):701-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2025.2507821
Marston EG, Hare A, Allen JP. Rejection sensitivity in late adolescence: Social and emotional sequelae. J Res Adolesc. 2010;20(4):959-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00675.x
Markus HR, Kitayama S. Culture and the self: implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychol Rev. 1991;98(2):224-53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.98.2.224
Heine SJ, Buchtel EE. Personality: the universal and the culturally specific. Annu Rev Psychol. 2009;60:369-94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163655
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Mental Health of Thailand
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
- Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted. The consent does not extend to other kinds of copying, such as for general distribution, for advertising, or for resale.
- Unless otherwise states, the views and opinion expressed in Journal of Mental Health of Thailand are those of authors of the papers, and do not represent those of the editorial board or the Department of Mental Health.
