French Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Youth Life Orientation Test (YLOT) in a French Youth Community Sample: An In-Depth Study of Age and Gender Differences

Aims: This study aimed to perform a French translation of the YLOT and to test its properties (structure, invariance, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validities, and test–retest reliability). Method: The YLOT was translated into French and administered to 1,364 French children and adolescents aged 8 to 17. Of these, 501 agreed to respond a second time 6 week later. Other scales were included to assess anxiety, positive and negative experiences, and coping efficacy. A detailed examination of gender and age differences was carried out. Results: The original bidimensional structure of the French version of the YLOT was confirmed. The scale showed measurement invariance according to age and gender, satisfactory internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, as well as moderate test–retest reliability 6 weeks later in children aged 12–17. Conclusion: The French version of the YLOT has reliable psychometric properties for measuring dispositional optimism and pessimism in children and adolescents.