Irrational beliefs in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin speaking populations: The cross-cultural validation of the irrational performance beliefs inventory

Michel-Kröhler, Alena, Wong, Michael and Turner, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1975-5561 (2025) Irrational beliefs in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin speaking populations: The cross-cultural validation of the irrational performance beliefs inventory. BMC Psychology. ISSN 2050-7283 (In Press)

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Abstract

Background: Irrational beliefs as conceptualized within Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) are maladaptive ideas about the world that perpetuate ill mental health and psychological distress. However, our understanding of the role of irrational beliefs in psychopathology is heavily reliant on the data from Western samples, chiefly the United Kingdom and the United States. Thus, to help bridge the gap between East and West, we must first understand the extent to which our measures are suitable for cross-cultural purposes. In this article we present the translation and validity testing of two versions of the irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI) – a Mandarin language version and a Bahasa Malaysia language version. Methods: For this purpose, 239 Bahasa Malaysia speaking participants and 180 Mandarin speaking participants (f = 139, m = 280, Mage = 23.05, SDage = 6.02, age range: 16–50 years) took part in the study. After a detailed translation process, we carried out confirmatory factor analyses to test whether the expected four-factor-structure can be confirmed in these Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin speaking subsamples. Results: Results showed a partially inadequate model fit (Bahasa Malaysia version: CFI = .841, RMSEA = .072; Mandarin version: CFI = .866, RMSEA = .066). In addition, we conducted exploratory analyses and applied existing versions of the iPBI, namely the existing Thai and Korean versions, to our sample to examine whether they provide a better model fit. In addition, construct validity (i.e., convergent, divergent, and concurrent validity) indicated partial validity, with mixed relationships between irrational beliefs and trait anxiety, anger, and depression for the different iPBI versions. Conclusion: The current findings indicate that further psychometric work is necessary before Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin versions of the iPBI can be adequately applied in research and practice. We discuss possible shortcomings and provide suggestions for further research.