Understanding Emptiness in a Chinese Sample: Cross-cultural Validation, Latent Profile Analysis, and Association with Short-Form Video Addiction

This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Sense of Emptiness Scale (MSES-C) and further examine the association between emptiness and short-form video addiction (SFVA). In study 1, our findings indicated that the bifactor-CFA model represented the optimal solution for representing the factor structure of the MSES-C, and the bifactor-CFA model showed measurement invariance across gender groups. Additional analyses supported the reliability and convergent validity of the MSES-C. In study 2, the results of the Latent Profile Analysis revealed the existence of three profiles: “Low emptiness” (44.4%), “Moderate emptiness” (32.3%), and “Severe emptiness” (23.3%). Additionally, more intense experiences of emptiness were associated with more severe SFVA. Overall, the MSES-C is a reliable tool for future studies investigating emptiness in Chinese populations. In addition, when relevant departments deal with the emerging social phenomenon of SFVA, mental health issues such as emptiness should not be ignored.