ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Quantitative Psychology and Measurement
Development and validation of the psychological stability scale for special operations personnel in China
Lingzhi Wang 1,2
Chunxiao Ren 2
Zhengzhi Feng 2,3,4
Xiaoping Du 5
Kebei Chen 2
Xiaodi Han 2
1. Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
2. Experimental Research Center of Medical and Psychological Science, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
3. Department of Medical Psychology, First Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
4. School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
5. School of Nursing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Abstract
Introduction: Special operations personnel are consistently exposed to high-stress, high-risk, and hazardous occupational environments due to the unique operational demands. To effectively cope with these stresses and ensure successful task execution, high levels of psychological stability are required of them. However, specific assessment tools are lacking to evaluate the psychological stability of special operations personnel. Based on grounded theory, this study proposed a theoretical model of psychological stability among special operations personnel and developed a corresponding measurement scale. Methods: A mixed-methods approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative research was adopted across three studies. Study 1 included in-depth interviews conducted with 30 special operations personnel. Grounded theory was applied to analyze the dimensions of psychological stability, and the Delphi consensus was used to determine the specific connotation of each dimension of psychological stability. Study 2 focused on developing and refining the scale through content validity analysis, item analysis, item-total correlation analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Study 3 validated the scale using confirmatory factor analysis and conducted reliability and validity testing. Results: Study 1 identified seven dimensions of psychological stability, including self-confidence, conscientiousness, equanimity, rationality, disturbance tolerance, stress tolerance, and frustration tolerance. In Study 2, a 29-item Psychological Stability Scale (PSS) with five dimensions was developed, including self-confidence, conscientiousness, equanimity and rationality, disturbance This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article tolerance, stress and frustration Tolerance. Study 3 demonstrated that the scale exhibited strong reliability and validity across different samples. Discussion: This study innovatively revealed the dimensions of psychological stability in special operations personnel and developed a valid and reliable measurement tool.
Summary
Keywords
grounded theory, Psychological Stability Scale, scale development, Special Operations Personnel, Validation
Received
23 October 2025
Accepted
12 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Wang, Ren, Feng, Du, Chen and Han. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Zhengzhi Feng
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