Psychometric properties of the Trait Hope Scale in Iranian Students

The aim of the present study was to investigatethe psychometric properties of the Trait Hope Scale and its relation with psychological well-being of Iranian university students.

Methods and Materials: 

In this descriptivesurvey, 191 students of Hamadan Islamic Azad University (mean age: 24.17 ± 4.30 years; range: 18-45 years) were selected through stratified randomsampling.The participants completed Snyder's Trait Hope Scaleand State Hope Scale, Riff's Psychological Well-Being Scale, and Beck Hopelessness Inventory. Data was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha and split-half methods via SPSS 16 and LISREL 8.5 .

Cronbach&#039;s alpha (0.83), split-half coefficient (0.80), divergent validity (with Beck Hopelessness Scale,-0.20), and criterion validity (with Snyder State Hope Scale, 0.55) were significant (P < 0.01). Exploratory factor analysis showed that the 12-item Hope Scale for adults had one latent factor thatexplained 47% of the scale variance. Firstorder confirmatory factor analysis indicated that 8items of the scalehad high factor loadings on one latent factor.Univariate model appropriately fitted with the data (adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.91, root mean square error of approximation = 0.05, normed fit index = 0.98). In addition, there was a significant relation between trait hope and psychological well-being (r = 0.25; P < 0.01).

The Trait Hope Scale has high reliability and validity and thus can be usedinfuture research.