Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Multidimensional Orientation Toward Dying and Death Inventory Among Students

Attitude toward dying and death is a conceptual response to the various aspects of death, which is based on an individual’s psychosocial and cultural experiences. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Multidimensional Orientation toward Dying and Death Inventory (MODDI-F) among Iranian students.

A total of 320 subjects were selected from students in universities of Tehran in the academic year 2016-2017, using the convenience sampling method. The study data were collected using the following instruments: the MODDI-F, the Existential Anxiety Scale (EAS), the Oxford happiness questionnaire, the general health questionnaire, and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Data analyses were performed by factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient in SPSS v. 22.

Factor structure was assessed using the confirmatory factor analysis. The proposed model for the MODDI-F with 8 factors had a good fit to the data. Besides, the reliability of the MODDI-F was assessed using Cronbach alpha and test-retest reliability coefficients. The Cronbach alpha values of higher than 0.7 were found for all of the subscales, except for death denial. Moreover, using the Pearson correlation coefficient, significant relationships were found between the scores on the factors of the MODDI-F and scores on convergent and divergent factors of other questionnaires, indicating the convergent and divergent validity of the inventory.

MODDI-F enjoys acceptable psychometric properties regarding the ease of administration, scoring, and interpretation, as well as the suitable validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Thus, researchers can safely use it in their studies.