Development of an Islamic Temporal Focus Scale: Factorial Analysis, Validity, and Reliability

Abstract

This study aimed to collect the largest possible number of items from the Islamic literature. The validity of these items was verified by a sample of experts and academics (N=21). Through in-depth interviews using Delphi procedures, 59 items were derived as an initial list for the scale. After several statistical analyses, including EFA and CFA, they were reduced to 32 items. The results of EFA (N=369) showed three main factors for Islamic Temporal Focus Scale (ITFS) extraction with a sum of squared loading of 64.51%. For the third sample (N=439), which was used for CFA, three factors confirmed the convergent validity of this scale, which is related to the Arab Scale of Happiness, the Measure of Reverence in Muslim Prayer, and the DASS-21, including the factors of depression, anxiety, and psychological stress. The results showed that the reliability values were stable. The values of Cronbach’s alpha were 0.780 for the past factor, 0.920 for the present factor, and 0.810 for the future factor. With regard to the split-half reliability of each of the three factors, the results showed that the stability coefficient was 0.820 for the past factor, 0.890 for the present factor, and 0.750 for the future factor. Therefore, the ITFS provides suitable evaluation and integration with past, present, or future factors. It has health and psychological implications and scientific value for future studies that can link it to variables such as mindfulness as well as psychological and physical disorders.