Validation of the Committed Action Questionnaire-8 and Its Mediating Role Between Experiential Avoidance and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese University Students

Ya Li; Ya Li; Fei-long Yang; Chen Pan; Qian-qian Chu; Qiu-ping Tang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655518

Frontiers in Psychology (Nov 2021)

Validation of the Committed Action Questionnaire-8 and Its Mediating Role Between Experiential Avoidance and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese University Students

Ya Li,
Ya Li,
Fei-long Yang,
Chen Pan,
Qian-qian Chu,
Qiu-ping Tang

Affiliations

Ya Li: Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
Ya Li: School of Nursing, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
Fei-long Yang: Psychosomatic Health Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
Chen Pan: Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
Qian-qian Chu: Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
Qiu-ping Tang: Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655518
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12

Abstract

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Background: Committed action is one of the core processes of psychological flexibility derived from acceptance and commitment therapy. It has not been widely investigated in mainland China as appropriate measures are lacking. The current study aimed to validate a Chinese (Mandarin) version of the Committed Action Questionnaire (CAQ-8) in a non-clinical college sample and to explore whether committed action would have a mediating effect in the association between experiential avoidance (EA) and life satisfaction.Methods: We translated the CAQ-8 into Chinese (Mandarin). A total of 913 Chinese undergraduates completed a set of questionnaires measuring committed action, EA, mindful awareness, anxiety, depression, stress, and life satisfaction. For test–retest reliability, 167 respondents completed the CAQ-8 again 4 weeks later.Results: The entire scale of CAQ-8 (Mandarin) and two subscales showed adequate internal consistency and acceptable test–retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the two-factor structure and the convergent and criterion validity were acceptable. Committed action was correlated with less EA, more mindful awareness, less depressive symptoms, less anxiety, less stress, and more life satisfaction. In bootstrap mediation analyses, committed action partially mediated the association between EA and life satisfaction.Conclusion: The results suggest that the CAQ-8 (Mandarin) is a brief, psychometrically sound instrument to investigate committed action in Chinese populations, and the relationship between EA and life satisfaction was partially explained by committed action. This study provides new information about the usefulness of CAQ-8 and supports the assumption that committed action may be considered a promising factors for improving life satisfaction who have involved in EA among an educated non-clinical population.

Published in Frontiers in Psychology

ISSN: 1664-1078 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion: Psychology
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology

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