Translation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Spiritual Perspective Scale

Abstract

Background and Purpose:No valid and reliable instrument exists in Arabic to measure the spiritual perspectives of Arab Muslims and Christians. This study translated the Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS; Reed, 1987) into Arabic and examined its psychometric properties.Methods:The Arabic SPS was tested in a convenience sample of 206 Jordanian Christians and 182 Jordanian Muslim undergraduate nurses. Correlational and exploratory factor analysis were used.Results:For both sample groups, the factor analysis supported a clear two-factor structure for the Arabic SPS. A significant moderate positive correlation between the spiritual perspectives and religiosity was in the expected direction. The internal consistency reliability of the Arabic SPS was high. This study revealed that the Arabic SPS is a valid and reliable instrument to measure spiritual perspectives among Jordanian Muslim student nurses and adult Christians.Implications for Practice:Developing an Arabic version of the SPS exhibited good evidence of validity and reliability is important because it contributes to the evaluation of the spiritual behaviors and spiritual values and beliefs of Arab nurses and their patients. It also opens the way for comparison and transcultural studies regarding individual’s spiritual perspectives.