The Spirituality Scale: development and psychometric testing of a holistic instrument to assess the human spiritual dimension

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop, refine, and evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Spirituality Scale (SS). The SS is a holistic instrument that attempts to measure the beliefs, intuitions, lifestyle choices, practices, and rituals representative of the human spiritual dimension and is designed to guide spiritual interventions.

Method: A researcher-developed instrument was designed to assess spirituality from a holistic perspective. Items were generated to measure four conceptualized domains of spirituality. The SS was completed by 240 adults with chronic illness.

Findings: Psychometric analysis of the SS provided strong evidence of the reliability and validity of the instrument. Three factors of spirituality that supported the theoretical framework were identified: Self-Discovery, Relationships, and Eco-Awareness.

Implications: These findings can assist in facilitating the inclusion of spirituality in health care and have the potential to provide a transforming vision for nursing care and a vehicle to evoking optimal patient outcomes.