title: [The Antonovsky Sense of Coherence Scale. Test statistical evaluation of a representative population sample and construction of a brief scale].
abstract: In this article we will describe the evaluation of Antonovsky's 29-items Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29) in a large community sample (n = 2.005) of the German population and the development of the Leipzig Short Scale (SOC-L9), which consists of only 9 items. The SOC-29 has a high internal consistency (alpha = 0.92), however, the SOC-subscales (comprehensibility, manageability, meaningfulness) were correlated with each other. A principal component factor analysis did not identify the 3-factor structure of the SOC-Scale. It appears that the best solution consists of one global factor. The newly developed SOC-L9, conceptualized as an unidimensional scale, is a reliable and valid instrument, which allows to assess the SOC economically. In our study the Sense of Coherence depended on age and gender. Women and older people reported a lower SOC. Furthermore we found significant associations between SOC and different subjective health measures. A high SOC was associated with both a lower extent of subjective body complaints and somatoform symptoms and with minor health-related problems in daily living.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Angewandte Psychologie, Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Universität Leipzig. joesch@uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wilz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gunzelmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology
vernacular_title: Die Sense of Coherence Scale von Antonovsky. Teststatistische Uberprüfung in einer repräsentativen Bevölkerungsstichprobe und Konstruktion einer Kurzskala.