Investigation of Factor Structure and Validation of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale in Working Children in the Corona Crisis:A Descriptive Study

The corona crisis has led to an increase in working children who have poor psychological well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factor structure and validation of the Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale in working children.

This research was a descriptive study performed by structural equation modeling. The statistical population included all working children in Bandar Abbas in 2021. The sample size was determined based on psychometric criteria to be 80 for the predictive validity section and 100 for the convergence validity section. Samples were selected by random sampling method. Research data were collected through three questionnaires of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being (1989), Oxford Happiness (1990), and Positive Psychology Characteristics Questionnaire (2008) in the printed and electronic forms by sending the questionnaire link to the participants’ mobile phones. To evaluate the validity of the scale, content validity, convergence, and factor analysis methods were used. The reliability of the scale was assessed by internal consistency methods and the split-half reliability (halving).

The results of exploratory factor analysis showed that the researcher-made questionnaire consists of six factors and has a good validity and reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis also confirmed the six-factor model. This questionnaire was administered along with the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and the Positive Psychological Characteristics Questionnaire, which had a good reliability and validity with 18 items (p<0.001).

The 18-item Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale can be used to assess psychological well-being in working children.