Psychometric Analysis of the Shortened Version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale on the Slovak Population (SWBS-Sk).

Peter Tavel,Bibiana Jozefiakova,Peter Telicak,Natalia Kascakova,Michal Puza,Jana Furstova

doi:10.3390/ijerph19010511

Abstract

This study was focused on verifying the factor structure of the shortened version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) on a representative sample of adult Slovak citizens (N = 1018, 49% men, age 18–85 years, and mean age 46.2). The shortened version of the SWBS consists of 10 items divided into two subscales: religious well-being (RWB) and existential well-being (EWB). Results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed insufficient parameters of the full two-factor model due to three negatively formulated items. After their exclusion, the two-factor model was found to be valid in the Slovakian population (χ (13) = 53.1, p < 0.001, χ2/df = 4.1, CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.055, and SRMR = 0.028). The reliability of the final version of the SWBS-Sk, consisting of seven positively worded items, is high, with α = 0.86 and ω = 0.94. Religious respondents and women scored significantly higher on the whole scale (p = 0.001) as well as on the two subscales (p < 0.05). A higher age was associated with a higher RWB score (p = 0.001) and a lower EWB score (p = 0.002). The shortened version of the SWBS-Sk consisting of positively worded items was found to be valid and reliable for further use in the Slovak environment.

Highlights

The results suggested that a two-factor model formed by positively formulated items only forms a valid and reliable version of the shortened scale (SWBS-Sk)
These differences may occur for a variety of reasons, for example (1) the different statistical methods used to verify the factor structure, e.g., confirmatory factor analysis or exploratory factor analysis, (2) differences in the research samples caused by cultural differences, including diverse concepts of religiosity, or (3) differences caused by positive/negative wording of the items
The results reveal a positive relationship between the total score of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS)-Sk subscales, with the strongest relationship between the spiritual change subscale and the total score of the SWBS-Sk and the religious well-being (RWB) subscale

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Spirituality and religiosity are considered the sources of a meaningful life [1,2,3]. The terms “spirituality” and “religiosity” tend to be confused in common speech because of their seemingly similar meaning and [4] because these terms have a range parallel with the fact that religiosity is the public side of spirituality, manifested through traditions and institutions. Religiosity provides a set of beliefs, goals, and meanings that can help solve personal situations and problems [3]. Spirituality is considered a multidimensional construct that exceeds religiosity. It includes the terms of subjective well-being, the meaning of life or harmony [5]

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