Psychometric properties of the French version of the Herth Hope Index assessment (HHI-F)

Abstract

IntroductionThe feeling of hope is an important factor in the well-being and mental health of individuals. The 12-item Herth Hope Index (HHI) measures different dimensions of hope and assesses the state of motivation to overcome situations with strong stressful or life threatening factors. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a French adaptation of the HHI. MethodBased on a French translation of the HHI made during a translation and counter-translation process (HHI-F), 247 higher education students completed an online survey on their mental health state during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the HHI-F. A principal factor analysis (PCA) and several confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to compare the structure of the HHI-F with that of the original scale. Internal consistency and convergent validity were also assessed. ResultsThe best model relates to a two-factor solution, corresponding to the Spanish translation of the HHI. Internal consistency was very satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .895 and a McDonald's Omega coefficient of .898. Significant correlations were observed between the HHI-F score and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). DiscussionThe HHI-F showed good psychometric qualities, although its structure does not fully correspond to the original version of the HHI. This scale should thus facilitate research in mental health psychology among French-speaking audiences.