Validation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of the Certainty About Mental States Questionnaire (CAMSQ): in Iranian Adult

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.

10.48308/apsy.2026.241037.1879

Abstract

Aim: Mentalization the ability to understand one’s own and others’ mental states is crucial for emotion regulation and social functioning. Deficits in mentalization are linked to psychological disorders, making accurate assessment important. The Certainty About Mental States Questionnaire (CAMSQ) is a novel tool, and its Persian version has not been validated. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian CAMSQ in Iranian adults.
Methods: In this applied, descriptive-survey study, the CAMSQ was translated into Persian using forward–backward translation and assessed for content validity and conceptual equivalence. Participants were 500 adults aged 20–50 years, with at least a high school education and no history of psychological disorders, recruited through convenience and online sampling. 60 participants completed the questionnaire again after two weeks to assess test–retest reliability. Convergent and divergent validity were examined using the Empathy Questionnaire, Self-Esteem Scale, and Reflective Functioning Questionnaire.
Results: Exploratory factor analysis supported a two factor structure Self-Certainty and Other-Certainty with factor loadings above 0.50, explaining 47.6% of the variance. The overall scale and subscales showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.895) and good test–retest reliability (r = 0.82). Positive correlations with empathy and self-esteem and negative correlations with reflective functioning indicated satisfactory convergent and divergent validity.
Conclusion: The Persian CAMSQ is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing certainty about mental states in Iranian adults, supporting its use in psychological, clinical, and educational research.

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Main Subjects

References

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