Abstract: Objective To localize the Brief Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised Scale and to test its reliability and validity among patients with aortic dissection and their family members, so as to provide an effective tool for measuring self-differentiation of clinical patients. Methods Based on Brislin’s translation model, the Chinese version of the Brief Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised Scale was formed through translation, cultural adaptation and pre-experimentation. Convenient sampling was used to select 417 patients with aortic dissection and their family members for the survey, and the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the scale was analyzed. Results The Chinese version of the scale had 5 dimensions and 19 items, with a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.879, a retest reliability of 0.949, and a split-half reliability of 0.833. The KMO value was 0.825; the χ² value of Bartlett’s spherical test 961.691, and the average of All I-CVIs on the scale 0.960. The exploratory factor numerator extracted 5 common factors, and the cumulative contribution rate of total variance was 52.807%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the first-order model met the criteria for fit indicators; the second-order model had a χ²/df of 1.506, an RMSEA of 0.050, a CFI of 0.905, an IFI of 0.908, a PNFI of 0.656, and a PCFI of 0.773, which showed the second-order model fit indicators being good. Conclusion The Chinese version of the Brief Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised Scale is simple and practical, and the reliability indicators are all within an acceptable range, which could better assess the self-differentiation of patients and their family members in China.

Key words: differentiation of self, Bowen family systems theory, aortic dissection, reliability, validity