Psychometric Properties of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale: Support for a Two-Factor Solution, Concurrent Validity, and Its Relationship with Clinical Psychological Distress in University Students

Abstract

This study examined the dimensionality and concurrent validity of the 16-item Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) in a sample of 649 university students (448 females) from a private, Catholic university in the Midwestern United States. Present literature predominantly supported a single factor solution. From results of the present study from exploratory principal component analyses (PCAs), a two-component solution (Closeness to the Divine and Selflessness) accounted for 68% of the variance and was preferred to a single component solution. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for this two-factor solution over two different single factor solutions. Convergent validity for the DSES was supported through positive correlations between its total score and emerging components and other commonly utilized measures of spirituality and religion. Discriminant validity was supported through negligible correlations with sociodemographic data. Females reported significantly higher DSES scores. Females with low reported spirituality had significantly higher (and clinically significant) symptoms of psychological distress than moderately and highly spiritual females. The findings of the present study provide contrasting conclusions from previous work supporting a single factor solution for the DSES, encourage further investigation into its dimensionality in varying populations, and suggest a unique relationship between spirituality and psychological distress in university students.

Daily spiritual experiences and well-being among the nonreligious, spiritual, and religious: A bifactor analysis.

“…Underwood’s (2011) recommended unidimensional model did not demonstrate an adequate fit to the data for all three groups, nor did any of the two-factor models, including Currier et al’s (2012) model, Lace and Handal’s (2017) model, Schuurmans-Stekhoven’s (2013) full scale model or trimmed model, Kalkstein and Tower’s (2009) model, or Lo et al’s (2016) model. The least inadequate of these models was Schuurmans-Stekhoven’s full scale model (scaled χ 2 [103] = 890.89, p < .001, RMSEA = .102, 90% confidence interval [CI] [.096, .108], CFI = .888, TLI = .870, SRMR = .050) within the RS sample.…”

“…However, at least nine studies have provided evidence of a multi-dimensional structure for the English-language DSES or its translations. Four research teams provided evidence that the DSES may be defined by two correlated factors: a theistic factor primarily consisting of items regarding connection with God and a nontheistic factor primarily consisting of items regarding spiritual connection with others DAILY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES SCALE 5 and nature (Currier, Kim, Sandy, Neimeyer, 2012;Lace, & Handal, 2017;Schuurmans-Stekhoven, 2013;Zemore & Kaskutas, 2004). Five research teams have uncovered evidence of one dominant factor upon which most items load plus a smaller factor (sometimes labeled "compassionate love") consisting of two or three items focused on connection with others (Kalkstein & Tower, 2009;Lo, Chen, Wasser, Portenoy, and Dhingra, 2016;Ng, Fong, Tsui, Au-Yeung, & Law, 2009;Rakošec, Mikšić, Juranić, & Batinić, 2015;Underwood & Teresi, 2002).…”

“…Currier et al's (2012) model,Lace and Handal's (2017) model, Schuurmans-Stekhoven's (2013) full scale model or trimmed model,Kalkstein and Tower's (2009) model, or Lo et al's (2016) model. The least inadequate of these models was Schuurmans-Stekhoven's full scale model (scaled χ 2 [103] = 890.89, p < .001, RMSEA = .102 [90% CI of .096, .108], CFI = .888, TLI = .870, SRMR = .050) within the RS sample.…”

“…For an instrument to demonstrate ME/I, the instrument must first demonstrate the same factor structure within each group. Although DSES dimensionality within NRS or SNR samples has never been directly studied, it has been examined within samples composed primarily of RS participants (for a review of DSES factor analysis studies, see Lace & Handal, 2017). Most studies have presented results that were interpreted as providing support for modeling the DSES as a unidimensional instrument (Underwood, 2011).…”

Psychometrics Properties of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale in a Romanian Clinical Sample. A Pilot Study

“…We chose to use only the first 15 items in order to maintain item consistency within inferential statistical analyses and to allow the most logical interpretation of scores, given the different scoring of item 16. In other studies the raw score of item 16 was adjusted but its 4-point Likert scoring was maintained for descriptive statistical reporting (Lace & Handal, 2017).…”