Assessing Construct Validity of Spiritual Inteligence Scale in Iranian Students

Spiritual intelligence is a set of personal capacities that helps to adaptation and problem solving. The aim of this study was determining domains and construct validity of cultural and religious context of spiritual intelligence scale in Iranian students. In this mixed methodological study, we assessed the existing scales, and selected 62 items. Then we interviewed with 67 students and derived 42 items. We determined the scale construct validity by exploratory factor analysis with 1000 students' samples that were selected by stratified random sampling from universities. The ethics permission of study was obtained from ethical committee of Tehran university. Factor analysis reduced items number from 104 to 39. Among 10 dimensions in theoretical model, 7 dimensions explained the 60.21% of scale total variance. These dimensions were meaning perception and religious works effect; perception and extension of consciousness; perception of extraordinary phenomena superior than material being; existential critical thinking; personal meaning production ability; problem solving by using spiritual resources, and spiritual adaptation in interpersonal relationship. Inter items’ reliability was determined by internal consistency as 0.731 to 0.906 and the scale total reliability was 0.945. A 39 items’ spiritual intelligence scale with optimal psychometric properties and acceptable structural model based on Iranian religious and cultural practices can be used as a valid and reliable scale in community of Iranian students.