Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples
Harmony is regarded as important for well-being in many cultures. However, (cultural) differences in the meanings and manifestations of harmony may impact the equivalence of measures of harmony in life, as well as the associations between harmony and other well-being constructs. This study aimed to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2023-02-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Psychological Assessment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajopa.org/index.php/ajopa/article/view/122 |
| _version_ | 1811161332742881280 |
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| author | Amanda Cromhout Lusilda Schutte Marié P. Wissing Angelina Wilson Fadiji Tharina Guse Sonia Mbowa |
| author_facet | Amanda Cromhout Lusilda Schutte Marié P. Wissing Angelina Wilson Fadiji Tharina Guse Sonia Mbowa |
| author_sort | Amanda Cromhout |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Harmony is regarded as important for well-being in many cultures. However, (cultural) differences in the meanings and manifestations of harmony may impact the equivalence of measures of harmony in life, as well as the associations between harmony and other well-being constructs. This study aimed to investigate the factorial, convergent and divergent validity, and measurement invariance of the Harmony in Life Scale (HILS) in South African and Ghanaian samples. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to data from three South African samples (two multicultural samples completed the HILS in English; and a Setswana-speaking sample completed the HILS in Setswana) and one Ghanaian sample (completed the HILS in English). Sample sizes ranged between n = 400 and n = 427. Good fit indices were obtained for all samples, except for the Setswana-speaking sample from South Africa. In all instances the HILS showed good internal consistency reliability and convergent and divergent validity. Full scalar invariance was supported for the two multicultural South African samples, but only partial scalar invariance when data from the Ghanaian sample were added to the analysis. The HILS shows potential for future use in all samples, except the Setswana-speaking sample. Findings emphasise the importance of considering cultural and/or contextual and linguistic differences and how these may influence the measurement of psychological constructs. Future research should qualitatively explore the meanings and manifestations of harmony in various African and other global contexts in local languages.
Contribution: This study is the first to investigate the psychometric properties of the original English version of the HILS in South African and Ghanaian samples, as well as a Setswana translation of the scale. The study contributes to the understanding of harmony in life and the measurement thereof in diverse contexts, in this case specifically focused on African samples, and may, in turn, inform interventions and evaluation of interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:12:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f2c300048b941a18c8720ed4f40c3d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2707-1618 2617-2798 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:12:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Psychological Assessment |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f2c300048b941a18c8720ed4f40c3d32023-03-02T11:44:52ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Psychological Assessment2707-16182617-27982023-02-0150e1e1310.4102/ajopa.v5i0.12258Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samplesAmanda Cromhout0Lusilda Schutte1Marié P. Wissing2Angelina Wilson Fadiji3Tharina Guse4Sonia Mbowa5Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, PotchefstroomAfrica Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, PotchefstroomAfrica Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, PotchefstroomAfrica Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; and, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria, PretoriaCentre for Social Development in Africa, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgHarmony is regarded as important for well-being in many cultures. However, (cultural) differences in the meanings and manifestations of harmony may impact the equivalence of measures of harmony in life, as well as the associations between harmony and other well-being constructs. This study aimed to investigate the factorial, convergent and divergent validity, and measurement invariance of the Harmony in Life Scale (HILS) in South African and Ghanaian samples. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to data from three South African samples (two multicultural samples completed the HILS in English; and a Setswana-speaking sample completed the HILS in Setswana) and one Ghanaian sample (completed the HILS in English). Sample sizes ranged between n = 400 and n = 427. Good fit indices were obtained for all samples, except for the Setswana-speaking sample from South Africa. In all instances the HILS showed good internal consistency reliability and convergent and divergent validity. Full scalar invariance was supported for the two multicultural South African samples, but only partial scalar invariance when data from the Ghanaian sample were added to the analysis. The HILS shows potential for future use in all samples, except the Setswana-speaking sample. Findings emphasise the importance of considering cultural and/or contextual and linguistic differences and how these may influence the measurement of psychological constructs. Future research should qualitatively explore the meanings and manifestations of harmony in various African and other global contexts in local languages. Contribution: This study is the first to investigate the psychometric properties of the original English version of the HILS in South African and Ghanaian samples, as well as a Setswana translation of the scale. The study contributes to the understanding of harmony in life and the measurement thereof in diverse contexts, in this case specifically focused on African samples, and may, in turn, inform interventions and evaluation of interventions.https://ajopa.org/index.php/ajopa/article/view/122harmony in lifesouth africaghanavalidityreliabilitymeasurement invariance |
| spellingShingle | Amanda Cromhout Lusilda Schutte Marié P. Wissing Angelina Wilson Fadiji Tharina Guse Sonia Mbowa Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples African Journal of Psychological Assessment harmony in life south africa ghana validity reliability measurement invariance |
| title | Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples |
| title_full | Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples |
| title_fullStr | Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples |
| title_short | Psychometric properties of the Harmony in Life Scale in South African and Ghanaian samples |
| title_sort | psychometric properties of the harmony in life scale in south african and ghanaian samples |
| topic | harmony in life south africa ghana validity reliability measurement invariance |
| url | https://ajopa.org/index.php/ajopa/article/view/122 |
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