Validation of the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS) and its role in Predicting Hope among Iranian Elderly

Abstract

Older adults, as the most vulnerable group, are affected by decreased functional abilities and changes in physical status, such as cognitive, social, and psychological function. This study aims to investigate the validation of the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS) and its role in predicting hope in Iranian older adults. 812 Iranian older adults—aged 60 years and older—participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), the Resilience Scale, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21), and the Adult Hope Scale. The psychometric properties of the SWBS were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while its reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha. Discriminant validity was measured by examining the relationship with the DASS-21 subscales, and convergent validity was assessed using resilience. In addition, multiple regression analysis was used to predict hope by the SWBS subscales. The four-factor structure provided good agreement with the data. The SWBS had significant negative associations with the subscales of the DASS-21, and there was a significant positive correlation between SWBS and resilience. The results indicate that SWBS significantly predicts hope among older adults. The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) has good validity for older adults in Iran and can be used in psychological assessments in the Iranian context.