Developing and Validating a Multi-Domain Risk Attitudes Scale in the Multi-Ethnic Asian Population in Singapore

Maladaptive risk attitudes, such as extreme risk seeking and risk aversion, are closely linked to psychopathology such as psychopathy and anxiety. Having culturally appropriate assessments of risk attitudes is essential for the research of psychology and psychopathology of responses to risk in a target population. We aimed to develop and validate the multi-domain risk tolerance (MDRT) scale for the multi-ethnic Singaporean population. Initial items were constructed from revising the item pool used in the previous study via interviews with Singaporean community-dwelling adults (N = 31). The candidate items of the MDRT were then tested and selected via a subsequent survey study (N = 882). A second longitudinal study (N = 1003) with two time-point measurements was conducted to validate the MDRT scale. The results suggested that the scale had satisfactory structural validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. The MDRT scale also demonstrated scalar measurement invariance across genders and age groups. The results further highlighted the importance of cultural adaptation of measures in risk attitudes and continuing improvement of assessment and understanding of risk attitudes across populations.