Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale Research Articles

Wisdom as a Buffer Against Experiential Avoidance's Impact on Relationship Satisfaction

This study aims to explore the predictive relationship between wisdom, experiential avoidance, and couples' adjustment, hypothesizing that wisdom can mitigate the negative effects of experiential avoidance on relationship satisfaction. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, 250 participants completed the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). Data were analyzed through linear regression to examine the impacts of wisdom and experiential avoidance on couples' adjustment. The analysis revealed that wisdom positively predicts couples' adjustment, offering a protective effect against the detrimental impacts of experiential avoidance on relationship satisfaction. Specifically, wisdom accounted for a significant variance in couples' adjustment, while higher experiential avoidance was associated with lower relationship satisfaction. The study underscores the importance of wisdom in enhancing couples' adjustment and mitigating the negative effects of experiential avoidance. These findings suggest the potential for interventions targeting wisdom and experiential avoidance to foster healthier relationship dynamics.

Gerotranscendence and wisdom in Polish older adults. The longitudinal mediation analysis of forgiveness

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to investigate whether forgiveness played a mediating role in the relationships between gerotranscendence and wisdom among people in late adulthood. Method: The study included 416 participants aged 60 to 75 years. The following measures were used: the Gerotranscendence Scale Type 2 (GST2), the Heartland Forgiveness Scale and the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). To verify the hypothesis, a longitudinal three-wave field study was conducted. Results: The results suggest that an increase in gerotranscendence is associated with an increase in forgiveness and wisdom. In addition, greater willingness to forgive co-occurs with higher levels of wisdom. Moreover, dispositional forgiveness mediates the relationship between gerotranscendence and wisdom – a higher gerotranscendence leads to a higher wisdom through an increase in forgiveness. Conclusion: The results of our research add to the knowledge of the mechanism of the relationship between gerotranscendence and wisdom and support the thesis that late adulthood presents individuals with new challenges and opportunities for creative personal development.

Wisdom and wellbeing in polish older adults: the mediating role of forgiveness.

Possible correlations between wisdom and wellbeing among older people have been extensively debated in psychology. At the same time, researchers emphasize that the effect of older adults' wisdom on their wellbeing depends on numerous mediators. A review of the literature suggests that forgiveness might be one such variable. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether forgiveness mediated the relationship between wisdom and wellbeing in late adulthood. In total, 481 participants aged from 60 to 92 years (M = 68.84; SD = 6.31) were involved in the study. All older people participating in the study lived independently in their households. Four psychological instruments were used: (1) the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale; (2) the Heartland Forgiveness Scale; (3) the Psychological Wellbeing Scale; and (4) the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Therefore, the measurement of the analyzed variables was self-reported. The results showed that forgiveness mediated the relationships between wisdom and wellbeing in the older population. The indirect effects demonstrated that forgiveness mediated the relationships between wisdom and wellbeing. Wisdom related to higher forgiveness (β = 0.21; p < 0.01), which, in turn, was related to a higher level of psychological (β = 0.48; p < 0.01) and subjective (β = 0.36; p < 0.01) wellbeing. These findings suggest that forgiveness is an important element of wisdom and wellbeing. The greater the wisdom the participants showed, the stronger the tendency to forgive and the better wellbeing they reported.

A Polish adaptation of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS) in older adults.

The paper presents the results of work on the Polish adaptation of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). It presents the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the tool. The research was quantitative in nature and it was carried out in a correlation scheme. The respondents completed a set of questionnaires. 880 subjects aged 60-80 years (M = 68.15; SD = 5.96) participated in the study. Apart from the SAWS six other psychological methods were used. The selection of measuring tools was purposeful. The final Polish version of the SAWS consists of 40 items (including 36 diagnostic ones) that make up 5 dimensions of wisdom: (1) "Critical Life Experience", (2) "Emotional Regulation", (3) "Reminiscence and Reflectiveness",(4) "Openness" and (5) "Humor". The reliability index for the entire scale (36 items) was α = 0.92 (very high). Reliability values (Cronbach's α) for individual scales vary from α = 0.60 to α = 0.84. The validity of the scale was evaluated by means of confirmatory analysis. The results are consistent with the original version of the scale, thus it has been indicated that the Polish version of the SAWS fulfils the psychometric requirements for psychological tests. The scale can be applied in scientific research.

Mudrost budućih učiteljica i učitelja i teška životna iskustva

Webster’s H.E.R.O.(E.) model of wisdom was used to explore if students, future teachers, of the same age but in two cohorts differed in wisdom and its dimensions and if their wisdom differed depending on how difficult they considered their lives to be. 116 students were included in the 2012 cohort with an average age of 21.54 years, and 115 students participated in the 2022 cohort with an average age of 21.17 years. Wisdom was measured with Webster’s Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). The results revealed no differences between the two cohorts in wisdom and its five dimensions in the H.E.R.O.(E.) model. The students that estimated their lives as more difficult scored higher on total wisdom results and on the majority of its dimensions (experience, reminiscence/reflection, and openness), except for emotion regulation and humour.

Do Wisdom and Well-Being Always Go Hand in Hand? The Role of Dialogues with Oneself

Recently, it has been demonstrated that wisdom positively predicted well-being. The paradox is that the development of wisdom is strongly linked to adverse experiences that can make a person feel “wiser but sadder”. This paper aims to test whether two types of dialogues with oneself, i.e. integrative and identity internal dialogues moderate the relationships of critical life experiences and reminiscence/reflectiveness (as components of wisdom) with psychological well-being. To check this, 202 women and 217 men completed four measures: Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scales, Internal Dialogical Activity Scale—Revised, and Scale of Integration of Perspectives. It was found that critical life experiences and reminiscence/reflectiveness poorly (usually negatively) or not at all predict the general well-being and its dimensions. Integrative and identity internal dialogues moderate these relationships: with a higher intensity of these dialogues the negative relationships weaken, insignificant ones become positively significant, and positive links strengthen. The findings can be used by psychologists to promote the development of clients’ wisdom, and consequently, well-being.

A Sage and a Guru Walk into a Bar: Wisdom and Humor Styles

Two studies investigated the relationship between wisdom, humor styles, comic styles, and wellbeing. In Study 1, 325 English-speaking college students completed the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS) and the Humor Styles Questionnaire. As predicted, overall wisdom, as well as all five wisdom subscales, was positively correlated with adaptive humor styles. Furthermore, the SAWS humor subscale correlated positively with all humor styles, most strongly with the adaptive styles. In Study 2, 189 German-speaking university students and adults from the general population completed the SAWS, the Comic Style Markers, and measures of positive mental health (meaning in life, optimism, and resilience). The SAWS subscales and especially the humor subscale correlated positively with all comic styles, except for sarcasm. SAWS humor and the comic styles incrementally predicted three of the four mental health outcomes, and a significant interaction between SAWS humor and benevolent humor suggests that humor and wisdom are both relevant for mental health. Overall, the study extends our understanding of the complex interplay between different aspects of wisdom and different humor-related styles as well as their relevance for mental health.

The relationship among openness, wisdom, and humor: a preliminary mediation model.

Wisdom researchers acknowledge the complex nature of this ancient construct, although they are yet to agree on its core components. A key question in the literature is whether Openness and Humour are aspects of wisdom or whether Openness is an antecedent of wisdom with Humour as a consequence. Using structural equation modelling, we evaluated data from 457 online respondents aged 16-87 years (Mage = 35.19, SD = 17.45). We analyzed a model with Openness as a precursor to Wisdom (conceptualised as a latent mediator variable using parcels of the SAWS Experience, Reminiscence/Reflection, and Emotional Regulation items), with Humor as outcome. We compared this model with a model using Wisdom as a latent mediator variable using parcels of the Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale-12 (3D-WS-12). A model using Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS)-9 latent mediator variable with Openness as precursor to wisdom and Humour as a consequence was good fit for the data and displayed full mediation. Similarly, a model using the 3D-WS-12 as latent mediator variable to measure wisdom and with Openness as a precursor to wisdom and Humour as a consequence also fits the data with full mediation. These findings provide empirical support for theoretical suggestions in the literature that Openness is a precursor to wisdom and that Humour is a consequence of wisdom using two of the most common self-report measures of wisdom. An improved understanding of the nature of wisdom and especially of its potential precursors can also be of use in future efforts to facilitate the development of wisdom.

The role of wisdom and self-management skills for coping with fear of progression among patients with multiple sclerosis with moderate disability: Results from a cross-sectional study

• Wisdom is a field of growing interest both inside and outside academic psychology. • Fear of progression (FoP) is a widely underdiagnosed and untreated problem in MS. • This study focused on identifying wisdom and self-management skills related to FoP. • Age is the strongest predictor for FoP-Q, not disease duration or disease severity. • Emotional regulation, self-observation, and self-efficacy are crucial factors. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease with an uncertain course. Wisdom and self-management are skills that can be used to cope with uncertainty and unpredictable life stresses. The present study aims to identify relevant wisdom and self-management skills for coping with fear of progression (FoP), a widely underdiagnosed real-life fear in response to uncertainty and a risk factor for depression and anxiety in patients with MS (PwMS). Ninety-two German inpatients aged 24–64 years with predominantly relapsing–remitting MS (72,8%) were included in this study. Correlation analyses and blockwise regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between wisdom skills (Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale, SAWS) and self-management skills (Questionnaire to Assess Resources and Self-management Skills, FERUS) with FoP (Fear of Progression-Questionnaire, FoP-Q), while controlling for demographic and disease-related variables. Blockwise regression analyses (BRA) revealed the following significant unique predictions for each FoP-Q subscale: age (R change = 0.043), emotional regulation (0.028), and self-efficacy (0.029) on affective reaction ; age (0.087) on partnership/family ; age (0.055) and self-observation (0.043) on occupation ; age (0.040) , fatigue (0.057), and self-observation (0.039) on loss of autonomy . The cross-sectional design, lack of comparison groups, and exclusive use of self-reports limit the generalizability of this study. Age is the strongest predictor for FoP-Q. Emotional regulation (as wisdom skills), self-observation and self-efficacy (as self-management skills), and fatigue are critical factors in dealing with specific aspects of FoP for PwMS. Larger, prospective, and longitudinal designed studies are needed to specify and replicate the results.

Validating the Self-assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS) in an Iranian Sample: Psychometric and Developmental Findings.

This study aimed to investigate the validity and factor structure of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS; Webster in J Adult Dev 10:13-22, 2003) in an Iranian population. Participants (235 male, 340 female) were recruited in Tehran, Iran and ranged in age from 17 to 88years. Cronbach alpha's for the subscales ranged from .63 to .81, and their inter-correlations ranged from .42 to .53. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 5 factors that were similar with the original structure. Confirmatory factor analysis supported 5-factor model of the SAWS. The SAWS's total and subscale scores positively correlated with two other measures of wisdom (indicating convergent validity). The SAWS correlated weakly with age. Women scored higher in the SAWS subscales of emotional regulation, reminiscence/reflectiveness, and humor, which accounted for a significant gender difference in total wisdom. Although the age differences are consistent with prior research, the gender differences are relatively novel. Overall, results indicate that the SAWS has excellent psychometric properties and can be used in cross-cultural work.

Narrative Group Intervention to Rediscover Life Wisdom Among Hong Kong Chinese Older Adults: A Single-Blind Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial.

Background and ObjectivesWe developed a new group practice using strength- and meaning-based narrative therapy (NT) for older Chinese living in Hong Kong (HK), to enhance their life wisdom. This paper reports on the intervention and its short- and longer-term effectiveness.Research Design and MethodsA randomized waitlist-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 157 older adults were randomly recruited, of whom 75 were randomly assigned to the intervention group which received four 2-hr biweekly NT sessions using the “Tree of Life” metaphor. The others were placed on a waitlist. Perceived wisdom was assessed using the Brief Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale. Assessment occurred at baseline (T0), end of treatment (T1), and 4 (T2) and 8 months later (T3). Overtime effects of NT on wisdom scores were assessed using latent growth curve models with time-invariant covariates for impact.ResultsThe intervention (NT) group showed significant, sustainable overtime within-group improvement in perceived wisdom. Furthermore, when compared to the control group, the NT group showed significant immediate improvements in perceived wisdom [F(2.726, p = .041)], which were maintained at all follow-up points. This effect remained after controlling for age, gender, and educational level (TML(11) = 17.306, p = .098, root mean square error of approximation = 0.079, comparative fit index = 0.960). No adverse reaction was recorded.Discussion and ImplicationsNT underpinned by a ToL methodology offers a new theory to understand, promote, and appreciate perceived wisdom in older Chinese living in HK. It contributes to psychotherapy and professional social work practice for older Chinese.

Peran religiusitas dan wisdom terhadap sikap menghadapi kematian bagi masyarakat Jawa pada masa pandemi covid-19

This study aims to reveal the role of wisdom and religiosity in the attitude of facing death in Javanese society during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in Desa Banyubiru, Kab. Semarang, Central Java, with a total of 50 participants. This study applies three measurement scales, namely (1) the self-assessed wisdom scale (SAWS) developed by Webster (2003); (2) The Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS) developed by Huber &amp; Huber (2012); and (3) Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) developed by Wong, Reker, &amp; Gesser (1994). The measurement scale has been modified into Indonesian language because of the environmental context of the research participants. This research draws upon quantitative approach with multiple regression statistical analysis. The results showed an F value of 5.743 with a level of significance 0.006 (p &lt;0.05), which means religiosity and wisdom has simoultanesly impact towards the death attitude in Javanese society. The amount of contribution given by the two independent variables together is 19.6%. the further researchers require to consider the cultural, environmental, and socioeconomic context in referring attitudes toward death

Gerotranscendence and humor styles: the mediating role of generativity and wisdom

AbstractThe goal of the present study was to investigate whether generativity and wisdom played a mediating role in the relationships between gerotranscendence and humor styles among people in late adulthood. The study included 399 participants aged 60–85 years. The following measures were used: Gerotranscendence Scale Type 2 (GST2), Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ), Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS), and the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). The analyses revealed that generativity and wisdom, taken together, were mediators in the relationship between gerotranscendence and the four styles of humor in late adulthood. The results of the survey show that gerotranscendence is a factor that protects individuals against the use of aggressive humor, at the same time predisposing them to using humor that expresses self-acceptance and strengthens interpersonal relations. An interesting result was obtained for self-defeating humor. It was shown that gerotranscendence, by increasing generativity and wisdom, increases the tendency to poke fun at oneself and to talk about one’s own weaknesses or mistakes. This tendency, as suggested by the specific character of the relationships observed, does not have to be non-adaptive. Our results demonstrate that the processes related to the shaping of humor among people in late adulthood have a unique nature.

An evaluation of the factor structure of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS) and the creation of the SAWS-15 as a short measure for personal wisdom.

Although wisdom is a desirable life span developmental goal, researchers have often lacked brief and reliable construct measures. We examined whether an abbreviated set of items could be empirically derived from the popular 40-item five-factor Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). Survey data from 709 respondents were randomly split into two and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The survey was conducted online in Australia. The total sample consisted of 709 participants (Mage = 35.67 years; age range = 15-92 years) of whom 22% were male, and 78% female. The study analyzed the 40-item SAWS. Sample 1 showed the traditional five-factor structure for the 40-item SAWS did not fit the data. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on Sample 2 offered an alternative model based on a 15-item, five-factor solution with the latent variables Reminiscence/Reflection, Humor, Emotional Regulation, Experience, and Openness. This model, which replicates the factor structure of the original 40-item SAWS with a short form of 15 items, was then confirmed on Sample 1 using a CFA that produced acceptable fit and measurement invariance across age groups. We suggest the abbreviated SAWS-15 can be useful as a measure of individual differences in wisdom, and we highlight areas for future research.

Development and validation of a brief self-assessed wisdom scale

BackgroundThis longitudinal study aimed to develop a nine-item Brief Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (BSAWS) derived from the original 40-item Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS).MethodsThe psychometric properties of the shortened scale were evaluated based on a sample of 157 older adults. The factor structure and dimensionality of the original SAWS were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Subsequent explorative factor analysis of the BSAWS supported the construct validity of the shortened scale.ResultsThe internal consistency, convergent validity and construct validity of the shortened scale were also evaluated and the results indicated that the BSAWS possesses good psychometric properties and is comparable with the full version.ConclusionsThis scale refinement may help researchers and practitioners conduct epistemological surveys or clinical research related to wisdom.

The Examined Life is Wise Living: The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Wisdom, and the Moral Foundations

This correlational study of two independent samples (260 college students and 173 Mechanical Turk workers aged 21–74) examined whether and how mindfulness (broadly construed as a manifold of self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence), influences wisdom about the self (Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory and Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale) and wisdom about the (social) world (Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale), and how mindfulness and wisdom impact ethical sensitivities (the five moral foundations). Mindfulness predicted wisdom about the self, and wisdom about the self was linked to an emphasis on the individualizing moral foundations of care/harm avoidance and fairness and, to a lesser degree, on the binding moral foundations of loyalty, authority, and purity. Wisdom about the (social) world was not associated with either mindfulness or the moral foundations. Age was a significant positive predictor for wisdom about the self once the self-awareness component of mindfulness was taken into account.

Relationship between wisdom, perceived control of internal states, perceived stress, social intelligence, information processing styles and life satisfaction among college students

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between wisdom, social intelligence, perceived control of internal states, perceived stress, information processing styles and life satisfaction among college students. Three hundred and nine students (270 female and 39 male students with a mean age of 27 years) were selected using random cluster sampling method. The Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale, Perceived Control of Internal States Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Tromso Social Intelligence Scale, Rational-Experiential Inventory and Satisfaction with Life Scale were used for data collection. Results showed that there were significant correlation between emotion regulation, humor (subscales of wisdom), social awareness, social skills (subscales of social intelligence), perceived control of internal states, perceived stress and life satisfaction. The information processing styles had no statistically significant relationship with life satisfaction. Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis revealed that perceived stress, humor and social skills were strongest predictors of life satisfaction among college students. The roles of these variables in life satisfaction were discussed.

Measuring Wisdom: Existing Approaches, Continuing Challenges, and New Developments.

The question how wisdom can best be measured is still open to debate. Currently, there are two groups of wisdom measures: open-ended performance measures and self-report measures. This overview article describes the most popular current measures of wisdom: the Berlin Wisdom Paradigm, the Bremen Wisdom Paradigm, Grossmann’s wise-reasoning approach, the Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale, the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale, and the Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory. It discusses the specific challenges of both open-ended and self-report approaches with respect to content validity, convergent and divergent validity, concurrent and discriminant validity, and ecological validity. Finally, promising new developments are outlined that may bridge the gap between wisdom as a competence and wisdom as an attitude and increase ecological validity by being more similar to real-life manifestations of wisdom. These new developments include autobiographical approaches and advice-giving paradigms.

Wisdom assessment: Portuguese adaptation of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale – SAWS – by Jeffrey Webster

A sabedoria é concebida como a "arte existencial", uma forma de ser que se revela não tanto na exposição teórica, mas sobretudo na capacidade de conduzir a vida da melhor forma. A incidência experimental, relativa ao estudo da sabedoria, intensificou-se nos últimos anos, dado o interesse declarado dos psicólogos cognitivistas e desenvolvimentistas pelos aspetos positivos do desenvolvimento humano.Neste estudo, apresenta-se a versão para a população portuguesa da Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale - SAWS de Jeffrey Webster (2003). A síntese das propriedades psicométricas, apesar de algumas diferenças em relação ao estudo original, aponta para uma estrutura dimensional consistente. Os resultados sugerem a distinção entre as competências envolvidas na identificação das emoções e aquilo que é a vivência, o controlo e a expressão das próprias emoções. A SAWS apresenta qualidades psicométricas que permitem considerá-la como apta para ser utilizada na população portuguesa.

Wisdom assessment: Portuguese adaptation of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale – SAWS – by Jeffrey Webster

Wisdom is conceived as the “existential art”, a way of being that reveals itself not so much in lecturing, but rather in the ability to carry out life in the best possible way. The experimental focus on the study of wisdom has been intensified in recent years, given the acknowledged interest of cognitive and developmental psychologists about positive aspects of human development. A Portuguese version of the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (Webster, 2003), is presented here. A summary of several psychometric features, despite the fact that the results obtained showed some differences when compared with those from the original psychometric study of the scale, points to a consistent dimensional structure. Global results suggest a distinction between skills involved in identifying emotions and the nature of experience, control and expression of those emotions. In this study, the SAWS presented sound psychometric properties which may find it suitable for experimental use with Portuguese population.