title: Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale: Cross-Cultural Comparisons Between Jordanian Arab and Malaysian Muslim University Students in Jordan.
abstract: This study reported the differences in factor structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) among Jordanian Arab and Malaysian Muslim participants and further examined its validity and reliability. A convenience sample of 553 Jordanian Arab and 183 Malaysian Malay Muslim university students was recruited from governmental universities in northern Jordan. The findings of this study revealed that this scale consists of two factors for the Jordanian Arab group, representing the "Religious Well-Being" and the "Existential Well-Being" subscales, and consists of three factors for the Malaysian group, representing the "Affiliation/Meaning and Purpose," "Positive Existential Well-Being/God Caring and Love," and "Alienation/Despair" subscales. In conclusion, the factor structure of the SWBS for both groups in this study was psychometrically sound with evidence of acceptable to good validity and reliability. Furthermore, this study supported the multidimensional nature of the SWBS and the earlier notion that ethnicity shapes responses to this scale.
authors.affiliation: Al al-Bayt University, Mafraq, Jordan Ahmad_cns1@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Musa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D007597:Jordan; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D029181:Spirituality; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016746:Transcultural Nursing; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Jordanian Arab; Malaysian Malay; Muslims; Spiritual Well-Being Scale; cross-cultural variations; factor structure