Self-Connection and Well-Being: Development and Validation of a Self-Connection Scale

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine Klussman ◽  
Austin Lee Nichols ◽  
Nicole Curtin ◽  
Julia Langer ◽  
Edward Orehek

Self-connection is composed of three factors: (1) self-awareness, (2) self-acceptance, and (3) self-alignment. Although some promising results suggest that self-connection uniquely contributes to well-being, they have relied on an untested, single-item measure. To advance empirical examination of self-connection and its role in well-being, the current research developed and validated a 12-item Self-Connection Scale (SCS). A total of 1,469 participants were recruited across three studies to examine the SCS and its three underlying components. Using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we found evidence supporting the factor structure and inter-item reliability as well as evidence of construct, concurrent, and incremental validity. Importantly, results from three studies suggest that the SCS is associated with multiple important indicators of health and well-being. The scale also demonstrated incremental validity beyond mindfulness, authenticity, self-concept clarity, self-compassion, and self-acceptance in its association with various mental health and well-being indicators. Thus, the SCS provides a valuable tool to measure and study self-connection and its relationship to well-being and other important psychological outcomes.

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 414-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Chan ◽  
Lai-kwan Chan ◽  
Xiaoyan Sun

Abstract. Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS) has provided a useful measure for investigating the eudaimonic well-being of adults and elderly people from the positive psychology perspective. However, its length and structure, and its applicability to younger populations have raised important concerns in the assessment with Chinese adolescents. Although different shortened versions of PWBS in various languages have been developed, they were mostly not adapted for use with adolescents and did not have satisfactory model fit and internal consistencies. This investigation aimed to develop a brief Chinese PWBS version to assess the eudaimonic well-being of adolescents in Hong Kong. Two studies related to scale development and validation involving three samples of 1,433 adolescents from Hong Kong were reported. Item selection, construct validation, model testing, and rewording of items to suit adolescent use were guided by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as correlations with external scales assessing similar PWBS content dimensions. The resulting 24-item Chinese PWBS includes only positively keyed items in simple language suitable for adolescent use. Validation and cross-validation results have demonstrated that it is a brief, valid, and reliable scale for assessing adolescent psychological well-being in six dimensions in the Chinese context.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin D. Neff ◽  
István Tóth–Király ◽  
Ken Colosimo

Pfattheicher and colleagues recently published an article entitled ‘Old Wine in New Bottles? The Case of Self–compassion and Neuroticism’ that argues the negative items of the Self–compassion Scale (SCS), which represent reduced uncompassionate self–responding, are redundant with neuroticism (especially its depression and anxiety facets) and do not evidence incremental validity in predicting life satisfaction. Using potentially problematic methods to examine the factor structure of the SCS (higher–order confirmatory factor analysis), they suggest a total self–compassion score should not be used and negative items should be dropped. In Study 1, we present a reanalysis of their data using what we argue are more theoretically appropriate methods (bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling) that support use of a global self–compassion factor (explaining 94% of item variance) over separate factors representing compassionate and reduced uncompassionate self–responding. While self–compassion evidenced a large correlation with neuroticism and depression and a small correlation with anxiety, it explained meaningful incremental validity in life satisfaction compared with neuroticism, depression, and anxiety. Findings were replicated in Study 2, which examined emotion regulation. Study 3 established the incremental validity of negative items with multiple well–being outcomes. We conclude that although self–compassion overlaps with neuroticism, the two constructs are distinct. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 165-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dudenhöffer ◽  
Christian Dormann

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to replicate the dimensions of the customer-related social stressors (CSS) concept across service jobs, to investigate their consequences for service providers’ well-being, and to examine emotional dissonance as mediator. Data of 20 studies comprising of different service jobs (N = 4,199) were integrated into a single data set and meta-analyzed. Confirmatory factor analyses and explorative principal component analysis confirmed four CSS scales: disproportionate expectations, verbal aggression, ambiguous expectations, disliked customers. These CSS scales were associated with burnout and job satisfaction. Most of the effects were partially mediated by emotional dissonance. Further analyses revealed that differences among jobs exist with regard to the factor solution. However, associations between CSS and outcomes are mainly invariant across service jobs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Beals ◽  
Melissa Birkett

Self-compassion and empathy are positively associated with mental health, physical health, and well-being. Caregivers higher in self-compassion and empathy show increased caring and supportive behavior. Cultivating self-compassion and empathy have been suggested to enhance positive outcomes, however descriptive information about these constructs is lacking for caregiver and comparison groups. The current study examined self-compassion and empathy among caregivers (self-identified parents of at least one child under 18 years of age; n=335) and a comparison group (n=215). Caregivers had higher scores of total self-compassion and empathy, with lower scores of self-judgement, isolation, and overidentification (self-compassion subscales), and personal distress (empathy subscale). Describing self-compassion and empathy in caregiver and comparison groups has implications for key health outcomes and highlights differences in self- and other-directed constructs in a diverse sample of adults.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 1025-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farah Diba M.A. Abrantes-Braga ◽  
Tania Veludo-de-Oliveira

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop valid and reliable scales for assessing a driver and two obstacles potentially related to financial well-being (FWB): financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe scales were developed from scratch across six studies, employing a two-step methodology, which encompassed both qualitative (e.g. focus group, interviews) and quantitative (i.e. online surveys) data collection. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to test and validate the proposed scales.FindingsThis study provides a set of three parsimonious, self-reported behavioural measures that could be employed in conjunction with objective economic indicators to identify individuals who are financially ill prepared and potential candidates for delinquency. The three proposed scales achieved satisfactory levels of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity.Research limitations/implicationsThe resulting scales still need to be tested for predictive validity and in different consumer groups. The scales were validated in a single culture population (Brazil, a country that presents extraordinarily high credit card interest rates), and they should be tested cross-culturally in countries with different economic and credit policies.Originality/valueThe literature on FWB has traditionally employed objective financial indicators as an attempt to measure the concept of FWB and its elements. Self-reported behavioural measures of such constructs are scant to the point of being non-existent for some elements. This study is the first to offer scales for measuring the elements of financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Kandler ◽  
Stefan Pfattheicher ◽  
Mattis Geiger ◽  
Johanna Hartung ◽  
Selina Weiss ◽  
...  

Research on self–compassion, which is defined as being understanding and kind to oneself when confronted with negative experiences, has produced an impressive number of articles in recent years. This research shows that individual differences in self–compassion, as measured by the Self–Compassion Scale (SCS), are positively related to life satisfaction, health and social functioning. However, a critical and systematic test of self–compassion from a personality perspective has not yet conducted so far. In the present study ( N = 576), we (i) tested the factor structure of the SCS, (ii) examined the distinctiveness of self–compassion with regard to the five–factor model of personality, focusing on neuroticism, and (iii) tested the incremental predictive power of self–compassion beyond the five–factor model in the context of life satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a two–factor plus six facets solution of self–compassion (a positive factor and a negative factor). Additional analyses revealed that the negative factor was redundant with facets of neuroticism ( rs ≥ .85), whereas the positive factor had some unique variance left. However, neither the negative factor nor the positive factor could explain substantial incremental variance in life satisfaction beyond neuroticism. Recommendations for how to use the SCS are provided, and the future of research on self–compassion is discussed. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidon Moliner ◽  
Francisco Alegre ◽  
Alberto Cabedo-Mas ◽  
Oscar Chiva-Bartoll

This study presents the development and validation of a scale for Primary Education students that measures social well-being. A seven-factor structure was defined, with the factors being: achievement, cooperation, cohesion, coexistence, attitude towards school, attitude towards diversity and solidarity. 14 experts from independent European universities participated in the validation process of the scale. The 38-item scale showed considerable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha =0.91). The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the original seven-factor structure with consistent goodness and badness of fit indexes. The promising results in this study suggest that this scale may be suitable for an international audience.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13
Author(s):  
Natia SORDIA ◽  
Khatuna MARTSKVISHVILI

The concept of grit refers to an individual’s tendency to keep perseverance and passion for long-term goals despite setbacks or obstacles. The present research examines the psychometric properties of the Georgian version of the Grit. 431 individuals participated in the study. Results from the confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a two-dimensional higher-order structure of grit. The relationship with big five personality traits, creative activities, creative achievements, and psychological well-being demonstrated the construct validity of the Georgian version of the Grit Scale (G-Grit). The Georgian version of the Grit Scale seems well suited for future research purposes. Key words: Grit, Personality Traits, Creative Activities, Creative Achievements, Psychological Well-Being. 


Author(s):  
Bruno Faustino ◽  
António Branco Vasco ◽  
Ana Nunes Silva ◽  
Telma Marques

Emotional schemas are pervasive mental structures associated with a wide array of psychological symptoms, while mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance are viewed as adaptive psychological constructs. Psychological needs may be described as the cornerstone of mental health and well-being. However, a study of the relationships between emotional schemas, mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance with psychological needs was not performed. For this purpose, 250 subjects (M=20.67, SD=4.88, Male=33, Female=217), were evaluated through self-report questionnaires, in a cross-sectional design. Negative correlations were found between emotional schemas, mindfulness, self-compassion, unconditional self-acceptance, and psychological needs. Symptomatology was positively correlated with emotional schemas. Mindfulness, self-compassion, and unconditional self-acceptance predicted the regulation of psychological needs and mediated the relationship between emotional schemas and psychological needs. Emotional schemas may be associated with a tendency for experiential avoidance of internal reality, self-rejection/shame and self-criticism which may impair the regulation of psychological needs. These variables may be targets of integrative case conceptualization and clinical decision making focused on patient’s timings, styles of communication and needs.


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