Validating a Culturally Adapted Thai Version of the Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ-TH)

The Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ) is a validated psychometric scale designed to detect athlete-specific psychological strain and forms the first triage step in the International Olympic Committee’s Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool (SMHAT-1). However, no validated Thai version of the APSQ currently exists, limiting implementation of the SMHAT-1 protocol in Thailand and constraining early mental health intervention efforts in this cultural context. This study aimed to validate a culturally adapted Thai version of the APSQ for use with elite Thai athletes. A total of 202 national-level athletes from a range of sports completed a Thai language version of the APSQ. Results showed that the APSQ-TH demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.79). Exploratory Factor Analysis supported a unidimensional factor structure, which was subsequently confirmed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The APSQ-TH also demonstrated strong convergent and divergent validity with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. These findings support the APSQ-TH as a culturally sensitive, psychometrically sound tool for screening psychological strain in Thai athletes. Its availability represents a critical advance in mental health equity for elite athletes in Thailand by enabling the integration of structured mental health screening into Thai high-performance sport. This will facilitate early identification of at-risk athletes and contribute to a more responsive and culturally aligned mental health support framework.