Validation of the Psychological Vulnerability Scale Among Higher Education Students in the Philippines

Psychological vulnerability, a cognitive predictor of psychopathology linking self-worth to external affirmation, lacks validation in the Philippines despite rising youth depression. This study assessed the PVS among 533 Filipino students from Luzon. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated the original six-item scale was suboptimal; while a refined four-item model achieved superior fit (CFI = 1.00, RMSEA = .00), these results likely reflect overfitting due to low degrees of freedom. Psychometric evidence was marginal, as internal consistency (α=.619) and convergent validity (AVE = .294) fell below traditional benchmarks. Nevertheless, the scale demonstrated scalar invariance across sex, confirming its stability for both male and female students. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the PVS as a potential screening tool, though further validation is necessary for robust clinical application. Keywords: Psychological vulnerability, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Measurement Invariance, Mental Health, Filipino Students