The Validity and Reliability of the Chinese Version of the Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD), a significant personality trait frequently observed in young adults, is associated with challenges in mental health and academic performance. Screening for BPD symptoms is essential. The Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord) is widely used to assess general BPD symptoms. However, despite being translated and culturally adapted, the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the SI-Bord have not been thoroughly investigated in a Chinese population. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord) among university students using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Methods: Participants completed the SI-Bord along with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (ECR-R), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Results: A total of 715 Chinese university students (mean age = 20.33 years; age range = 18–25), including 385 males (54.2%) and 325 females (45.5%), participated in this study. The unidimensional model demonstrated adequate fit indices. The SI-Bord showed significant correlations with the PSS and ECR-R (attachment anxiety), alongside smaller correlations with the MLQ, supporting its convergent and discriminant validity. The Chinese version of the SI-Bord exhibited good reliability. Invariance testing confirmed at least metric invariance across various groups. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the SI-Bord demonstrates strong validity and reliability as a tool for screening for core BPD symptoms among Chinese university students. Further studies are encouraged to evaluate the validity of the SI-Bord across diverse groups, including age, socioeconomic status, and geographic regions. Applying it in clinical BPD samples will further enhance its utility across Chinese populations.