Abstract

Spirituality impacts college student outcomes in the United States such as mental health, physical health, academic success, and healthy behaviors. Numerous studies consistently show gender differences on spirituality measures. The wealth of empirical evidence demonstrating gender differences in spirituality warranted the development of a tool for measuring college women's spirituality. The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the SIRSW, including its content validity, factorial structure, and internal consistency using a college women sample. A sample of 667 undergraduates (ages 18-26) at an all-women’s Catholic University in the upper Midwest completed the spirituality survey in Spring 2018. Demographic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Demographic differences in spirituality score were assessed using t-test and one-way ANOVA. Psychometric characteristics of the SIRSW were assessed by evaluating variability, internal consistency reliability, and overall scale structure. There were no significant demographic differences in total spirituality score. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach alpha = 0.97). Item-scale coefficients were above the minimum criteria. Factor analysis revealed that the 16-items measuring spirituality fell under the one-factor component and accounted for 82% of the variance. The SIRSW was found to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing the spiritual well-being of college women. Understanding college women’s spirituality can inform the development of a spiritually oriented intervention that is consistent with their values enhancing their psychological, mental, and physical well-being.

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