Nature relatedness is a unidimensional construct: evidence from the Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6) (La relación con la naturaleza es un constructo unidimensional: evidencias a partir de la escala de Relación con la Naturaleza (NR-6))

Abstract

ABSTRACT Short scales assessing human–nature relationships have the practical advantages of being efficient, low in item redundancy and less at risk of inducing fatigue and boredom. It is critical that these short scales are subject to the same psychometric scrutiny as their longer versions. The present study focused on the short version of the Nature Relatedness (NR) Scale: the NR-6. Specifically, we aimed to provide the first test of its factor structure using confirmatory factor analysis and to describe the discriminability and difficulty of its six items via Item Response Theory. The study sample comprised 510 adults from Portugal. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a bifactor model over a one-factor model. Bifactor indices showed that the NR-6 items measure an essentially unidimensional nature relatedness construct. The six items were good at discriminating individuals varying in nature relatedness. Finally, consistent with prior research, we found a strong positive correlation between the NR-6 and a conceptually related measure. We conclude that the NR-6 has adequate psychometric properties and is a valid measure of individuals’ nature relatedness.