Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)

We adapted the SCoTS from the Collegiate Psychological Sense of Community Scale to measure religious/spiritual (R/S) community and belonging among college students. Emerging research indicates that participation and involvement in R/S groups among college students has been associated with their succ...

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Main Authors: Christopher R. Dabbs, Carrie L. Winterowd, Elizabeth A. Albright, Tiffany Kolba, Tianna Etes, Bronson K. Snyder, Jeffery Logan Riddle, Kidist A. Beker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Psychology International
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-9844/7/1/8
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author Christopher R. Dabbs
Carrie L. Winterowd
Elizabeth A. Albright
Tiffany Kolba
Tianna Etes
Bronson K. Snyder
Jeffery Logan Riddle
Kidist A. Beker
author_facet Christopher R. Dabbs
Carrie L. Winterowd
Elizabeth A. Albright
Tiffany Kolba
Tianna Etes
Bronson K. Snyder
Jeffery Logan Riddle
Kidist A. Beker
author_sort Christopher R. Dabbs
collection DOAJ
description We adapted the SCoTS from the Collegiate Psychological Sense of Community Scale to measure religious/spiritual (R/S) community and belonging among college students. Emerging research indicates that participation and involvement in R/S groups among college students has been associated with their success, quality of life, and well-being. Development of the SCoTS included item reformatting, scale restructuring, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent/discriminant analyses. Results in Study 1 show support for both one- and two-factor solutions in a sample of 357 university students. We named our loaded factors Belonging and Member Involvement. In Study 2, our confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 399 university students affirmed a two-factor solution. Analyses showed unique aspects of the SCoTS when compared to similar measures. We end with a discussion of the implications and utility of the SCoTS for clinicians, healthcare providers, and educators.
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spelling doaj-art-298ae8da24314b1fb399ca14a3a727242025-08-20T02:43:06ZengMDPI AGPsychology International2813-98442025-01-0171810.3390/psycholint7010008Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)Christopher R. Dabbs0Carrie L. Winterowd1Elizabeth A. Albright2Tiffany Kolba3Tianna Etes4Bronson K. Snyder5Jeffery Logan Riddle6Kidist A. Beker7Department of Psychological Sciences & Counseling, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383, USASchool of Community Sciences, Counseling & Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USADepartment of Psychology, Langston University, Langston, OK 73050, USADepartment of Mathematics & Statistics, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383, USASchool of Community Sciences, Counseling & Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USASchool of Community Sciences, Counseling & Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USASchool of Community Sciences, Counseling & Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USASchool of Community Sciences, Counseling & Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USAWe adapted the SCoTS from the Collegiate Psychological Sense of Community Scale to measure religious/spiritual (R/S) community and belonging among college students. Emerging research indicates that participation and involvement in R/S groups among college students has been associated with their success, quality of life, and well-being. Development of the SCoTS included item reformatting, scale restructuring, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent/discriminant analyses. Results in Study 1 show support for both one- and two-factor solutions in a sample of 357 university students. We named our loaded factors Belonging and Member Involvement. In Study 2, our confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 399 university students affirmed a two-factor solution. Analyses showed unique aspects of the SCoTS when compared to similar measures. We end with a discussion of the implications and utility of the SCoTS for clinicians, healthcare providers, and educators.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-9844/7/1/8spiritual communitytogethernessbelongingmental healthcollege studentsfactor analysis
spellingShingle Christopher R. Dabbs
Carrie L. Winterowd
Elizabeth A. Albright
Tiffany Kolba
Tianna Etes
Bronson K. Snyder
Jeffery Logan Riddle
Kidist A. Beker
Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
Psychology International
spiritual community
togetherness
belonging
mental health
college students
factor analysis
title Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
title_full Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
title_fullStr Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
title_full_unstemmed Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
title_short Adaptation, Development, and Validation of the Spiritual Community and Togetherness Scale (SCoTS)
title_sort adaptation development and validation of the spiritual community and togetherness scale scots
topic spiritual community
togetherness
belonging
mental health
college students
factor analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-9844/7/1/8
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