BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Psychol., 31 March 2022

Sec. Positive Psychology

Volume 13 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795452

Flourishing Scale: Adaptation and Evidence of Validity in a Chilean High School Context

Abstract

This study aimed to adapt the Flourishing Scale to a Chilean high school context and provide evidence of its validity. Data were collected from 1,348 students (52% girls) from three different Chilean schools. The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a one–factor solution, multiple–group CFA supported gender invariance, and structural equation model indicated that the FS is related to positive and negative academic feelings. Overall, the evidence indicates that the Flourishing Scale adapted to the high school context is an instrument that produces valid and reliable scores in our high school Chilean sample.

Introduction

Positive education is an emerging area of study aimed at encouraging—without ignoring the negative aspects inherent in all human activity—members of the educational community to flourish and develop their full potential (). More specifically, positive education is a discipline that emerges from positive psychology and aims to complement the traditional emphasis on developing academic skills with initiatives to promote well–being and optimal functioning (). In this line, recent research has shown that the development of personal strengths and resources are potential variables for increasing performance and other desirable outcomes in the high school setting (e.g., ; ; ). In addition, the efficacy of programs aimed at increasing levels of well–being and reducing depressive symptomatology, which favor academic performance, has been confirmed (e.g., ; ; ).

One of the concepts that has received increasing attention from educational contexts is the so–called flourishing (e.g., ; ; ; ; ; ; ). Flourishing is synonymous with a high mental well–being level and reflects positive mental health and positive development (; ). More specifically, flourishing is the combination (in a single construct) of feeling good and functioning effectively in one’s life. The first refers to feel interest in and a commitment to the activities of daily living, self–confidence, and affect, while the second refers to feeling in control of the course of one’s life, having a purpose, and establishing and maintaining positive relationships with others (; ; ; ; ).

Recent positive education research has shown that flourishing is positively related to desired academic outcomes, such as performance (), personal resources (), engagement (), achievement goal orientation (), adaptability and social support (), positive teacher–student relationships (), basic psychological needs (), and passion for learning (). Conversely, it is negatively related to undesired academic outcomes, such as depression and distress (), procrastination (), and psychotic experiences (). Together, these studies show that flourishing is a key construct applicable to the high school context and to the aims of positive education. Therefore, flourishing could help understand the processes underlying the optimal functioning of children and adolescents in school contexts.

One of the most widely used instruments to evaluate flourishing is the Flourishing Scale (FS) developed by . This scale is a brief self–reported measurement that assesses the key components of psychosocial well–being: meaning and purpose in life, supportive and rewarding relationships, engaged and interested, contribute to the well–being of others, competency, self–acceptance, optimism, and being respected (). Initial validation studies support FS as a one–factor solution with adequate psychometric properties (see ). More recently, additional validation studies have supported its psychometric properties (e.g., ; ; ) and shown its cross–cultural validity (e.g., Brazil—; China—; France—; Egypt—; India—; New Zealand—; Russia—Didino et al., 2019).

Despite the contribution that the studies have made to flourishing research, more research efforts are needed, specially, in Spanish–speaking South American countries where minimal research was done to assess the psychometric properties of FS (e.g., Colombia—; Peru—). The present study attempts to fill the gap on the scarcity of flourishing measures by adapting the FS to the Chilean high school context and examining its psychometric properties. We hope to contribute to increasing the scarce research on positive education in South American countries. More specifically, we aim to adapt the FS to the usual conditions of Chilean high school students and provide evidence of its validity following both a within–network and between–network construct validity. The first refers to assessing reliability, factor structure, and gender invariance, while the second refers to assessing the extent to which flourishing is associated with theoretically related constructs. In this line, given that the FS measures (only) the psychosocial components of well–being, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE) —developed by — complements this indicator by measuring a range of positive and negative emotions and feelings in a specific time range (for example, during the past 4 weeks). Accordingly, the FS score has shown positive and negative significant relationships with the positive and negative feelings dimensions of the SPANE, respectively. For example, 0.69 and –0.48 (); 0.67 and –0.47 (); and 0.58 and –0.42 ().

Based on the arguments presented, we hypothesize the following: The FS adapted to the high school context will demonstrate adequate psychometric properties in a sample of Chilean high school students. Also, we expect positive and negative relationships between FS scores and study–related positive and negative feelings (measured with the SPANE), respectively.

Method

Sample

The sample comprised 1,348 (52% girls) Chilean high school students between grades 7–12 (i.e., 13–18 years old, M = 15.04, SD = 1.43). The students were from three different secondary schools (each of them hosted approximately 600 students) from two urban centers in the country’s northern regions: Arica and Iquique. Of 1,348 students, 17% were 13 years old, 19% were 14 years old, 18% were 15 years old, 21% were 16 years old, 22% were 17 years old, and 3% were 18 years old. In addition, 13% correspond to low, 79% to medium, and 8% to high socioeconomic levels.

Instruments

The Flourishing Scale () is composed of eight--item. Each item is rated by respondents using a 7--point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). In this study, 3 expert judges were asked to compare both the Spanish and English language version of the FS (available on Ed Diener’s website1) to establish whether both versions did not differ from each other. Furthermore, they checked the instrument’s legibility. Subsequently, the FS was adapted to the educational setting of the students following the recommendations described in the literature associated with the adaptation of instruments (see ; ). More specifically, a rewording of the items from the general context to the school context was conducted. For example, “I am engaged and interested in my daily activities” was changed to “I am engaged and interested in my daily school activities.” Finally, a pilot test was conducted with the FS adapted version (see Table 1) where 30 Chilean high school students were encouraged to answer the scale and indicate possible comprehension issues. At this stage, none of the participants expressed problems with understanding the items or the answering format of the FS.

TABLE 1

Descriptive statistics
Reliability statistics
CFA factor loadingsS.E.
Mean (SD)SKWCHIα if item is droppedω if item is dropped
1. I lead a purposeful and meaningful school life.5.83 (1.359)−1.1870.9770.811*0.6310.8500.8520.744*0.015
2. My social relationships at school are supportive and rewarding.5.73 (1.409)−1.1821.0270.824*0.4990.8650.8650.598*0.020
3. I am engaged and interested in my daily school activities.5.88 (1.250)−1.1400.9860.819*0.6790.8450.8460.784*0.014
4. At school I actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others.5.81 (1.237)−1.0430.8610.840*0.5920.8540.8560.692*0.017
5. I am competent and capable in school activities that are important to me.6.30 (0.972)−1.6673.1510.722*0.6070.8530.8540.748*0.017
6. At school I am a good person and live a good life.6.10 (1.124)−1.5122.5920.770*0.6630.8470.8480.769*0.014
7. I am optimistic about my school future.6.07 (1.292)−1.7713.2110.729*0.6650.8460.8470.771*0.015
8. People at school respect me.5.92 (1.238)−1.3511.8480.805*0.6130.8530.8540.712*0.016
Flourishing47.68 (7.110)−19.0416.470.901*

Descriptive and reliability statistics information of the flourishing scale.

*p < 0.001; SD, standard deviation; S, skewness standardized; K, kurtosis standardized; W, Shapiro–Wilk test; CHI, corrected homogeneity index; CFA, confirmatory factor analysis; and S.E., standard error.

The Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences () is composed of 12 items. Each item is rated by respondents using a 5–point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = always). The scale is integrated by two subscales (six items each): positive (e.g., “I have had pleasant feelings”) and negative (e.g., “I have had unpleasant feelings”) feelings. This study used an adaptation to the Chilean high school context of the original SPANE, which demonstrated adequate psychometric properties (see ). In our sample, internal consistency —for alpha and omega index— was 0.931 and 0.931, for study–related positive feelings, and for study–related negative feelings was 0.849 and 0.855, respectively.

Procedure

The procedure included contacting the principals of schools to explain to them the research’s aim, scope, and needs. Once the proposal was accepted, a written authorization was requested from the principals, students, and parents. Data collection was carried out in group sessions of 25 students through an electronic procedure. For this purpose, each student had a computer at their disposal where the questionnaires had been previously uploaded. The students took about 10 min to answer the questionnaire and data collection lasted approximately 3 weeks.

Analysis

Sequential analyses were conducted using Jamovi 1.2 () and Mplus 8.2 (). First, mean scores, standard deviation, standardized skewness and standardized kurtosis, gender differences, and Shapiro–Wilk test were calculated. Second, the internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha (α) and McDonald’s omega (ω) coefficients, the corrected homogeneity index, and the alpha and omega indexes if any of the items were eliminated. Third, to determine whether the model proposed by the FS adequately represents the data collected, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using the weighted least square with mean estimation method (WLSMV) —which is robust to significant deviations from the normal distribution— and the polychoric correlation matrix. The model fit was interpreted according to the cut–off points proposed by (e.g., CFI > 0.95; TLI > 0.95; RMSEA < 0.06). Fourth, to explore gender invariance, a multiple–group CFA was performed, where three levels of equivalence (i.e., configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance) were evaluated (), using changes in CFI and RMSEA (Δ < 0.010) as criteria to determine whether measurement invariance was established (; ; ). Finally, to examine the criterion validity of the FS, a structural equation model (SEM) was conducted between the covariations of positive and negative feelings and the FS score.

Results

Descriptive Analysis

Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics for the FS at item level, including reliability and factor loading as they emerged in the CFA analysis described below. The Shapiro–Wilk test showed that none of the items had a normal distribution. Following previous research (e.g., ), gender differences were considered. However, independent sample t-test reveal that there are not statistical significance differences between boys’ (M = 6.015, SD = 0.728) and girls’ (M = 5.929, SD = 0.988) FS scores: t(1346) = 1.947, p > 0.05.

Within–Network Construct Validation

The FS adapted to the Chilean high school context showed adequate internal consistency for Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.868) and McDonald’s omega (ω = 0.869) index. In addition, as shown in Table 1, the results of the corrected homogeneity index suggests that it is not necessary to delete any items. Table 2 (M1) and Figure 1A shows the CFA results for a model assuming one latent factor underlying all FS items. According to the standards recommended by , this model showed adequate fit index, reflecting a sufficient explanation for the observed covariate matrix. Indeed, the factorial loadings show adequate representations (λ > 0.50). In addition, the multiple–group CFA shows that the differences in the CFI and RMSEA —across the three invariance models (i.e., configural, metric, and scalar)— were lower than 0.010, which indicates gender invariance.

TABLE 2

χ2dfχ2/dfRMSEA90% CICFITLISRMRCMsΔ CFIΔ RMSEA
Single–group CFA
M1 One factor solution215.2420107.620.085[0.075, 0.096]0.9760.9670.024–––
Multiple–group CFA
M2 Configural invariance261.60405.4150.091[0.080, 0.101]0.9460.9240.037–––
M3 Metric invariance278.20475.9190.085[0.076, 0.095]0.9440.9330.055M2–M30.0020.006
M4 Scalar invariance313.47545.8050.084[0.076, 0.094]0.9370.9340.065M3–M40.0070.001

Fit Indexes for single–group and multiple–group CFA of the flourishing scale.

χ2, Chi-square; df, degree of freedom; RMSEA, root mean square error of approximation; CI, 90% confidence interval; CFI, comparative fit index; TLI, Tucker–Lewis index; SRMR, standardized root mean square residual; and CMs, comparisons between models.

FIGURE 1

Between–Network Construct Validation

The SEM model showed satisfactory comparative and absolute fit indexes: χ2 (167, 1,348) = 959.437, p < 0.05; CFI = 0.980; TLI = 0.978; RMSEA = 0.059, 90% CI (0.056–0.063). As shown in Figure 1B, there are positive (γ = 0.657, p < 0.001) and negative (γ = −0.504, p < 0.001) relationships between FS scores and positive and negative feelings, respectively.

Discussion

The current study aimed to adapt the FS to the Chilean school context and obtain evidence of its validity to address the lack of measures and facilitate flourishing research in educational settings.

Our results are consistent with previous research in terms of the reliability indices and factor structure of the FS (e.g., ; ; ; ; ; ). Also, gender invariance was demonstrated, leading to the conclusion that flourishing can be measured with the same precision in boys and girls, which is consistent with recent studies (e.g., ; ; ). Furthermore, students who report higher levels of flourishing are more likely to experience study–related positive feelings (e.g., happiness, pleasure, and satisfaction) and less likely to experience study–related negative feelings (e.g., sadness, displeasure, and anger).

The main strength of the present study is the large sample used. However, there are also some limitations that highlighting possible paths for future research. First, we use a convenience sample, and our results should be generalized with caution. Therefore, future research could use a representative and diverse sample to generalize its results to the Chilean high school population. Second, the cross–sectional nature of the design does not allow to prove the temporal stability of the FS. Therefore, future research may include longitudinal designs to analyze their stability and temporal invariance. Third, the use of self–report data may increase the probability of incurring common method variance. Hence, it would be interesting to move toward an external measure of flourishing.

The results suggest that the FS adapted to the Chilean high school context can thus be considered a valid and reliable tool for researchers and practitioners. For researchers, this measure contains only eight items and is, therefore, a short and practical instrument, which offers a broad view of positive and healthy functioning that has been shown to be important for students’ optimal functioning. For practitioners, high schools can take advantage of this measure by including it within their diagnosis and monitoring activities. That is, knowing the state of their student’s flourishing will allow them to design and deploy properly grounded actions to foster their well–being and contribute to the building of a healthy and thriving school community.

Publisher’s Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Statements

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Comité Ético Científico of the Universidad de Tarapacá (CEC-UTA). Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author contributions

All authors contributed equally to the research design and wrote the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

Summary

Keywords

flourishing, psychometric analyses, high school students, Chilean students, gender invariance

Citation

Carmona-Halty M, Marín-Gutierrez M, Mena-Chamorro P, Sepulveda-Páez G and Ferrer-Urbina R (2022) Flourishing Scale: Adaptation and Evidence of Validity in a Chilean High School Context. Front. Psychol. 13:795452. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795452

Received

15 October 2021

Accepted

21 February 2022

Published

31 March 2022

Volume

13 - 2022

Edited by

Llewellyn Ellardus Van Zyl, North West University, South Africa

Reviewed by

Johannes Alfons Karl, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; Jenny Marcionetti, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Switzerland

Updates

Copyright

*Correspondence: Marcos Carmona-Halty,

This article was submitted to Positive Psychology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology

Disclaimer

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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