Measurement invariance and psychometric properties of the CCAPS‐62 and ‐34 for international student clients

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesInternational students attending universities in the United States may encounter psychological distress related to their adjustment and experiences studying in a new context and seek services from university counseling centers. Many centers use the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) to measure psychological distress in college counseling centers. However, this scale has not been tested for measurement invariance with international students. Our purpose was to explore the measurement invariance of the CCAPS‐62 and ‐34 for international students.MethodsWe tested measurement invariance for both versions of the scale using data from over 107,000 university students in psychotherapy at university counseling centers. We also examined construct validity and internal consistency.ResultsInvariance testing indicated the measurement models of the CCAPS‐62 and ‐34 are equivalent between both groups.ConclusionThese findings are discussed in light of utilizing this widely‐used scale in United States university/college counseling centers with international student clients.