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Do different scales measure the same construct? Three Sense of Coherence scales.

Bergström, Martin LU ; Gassne, Jan LU and Hansson, Kjell LU (2009) In Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 63(2). p.166-167
Abstract
Background: Different scales claim to measure the

construct ‘‘Sense of Coherence’’. Results from these

scales have been compared without knowing whether

they measure the same construct. This article compares

two versions of Antonovsky’s original scale (SOC-13 and

SOC-29), translated into Swedish, and a three-item scale

(SOC-3) that claims to measure Sense of Coherence.



Methods: The data were analysed in a cross-sectional

setting. The study consisted of university students

studying social work (n=395.



Results: The original scales had no distribution problems

in differentiating Sense of Coherence. The SOC-3 had

... (More)
Background: Different scales claim to measure the

construct ‘‘Sense of Coherence’’. Results from these

scales have been compared without knowing whether

they measure the same construct. This article compares

two versions of Antonovsky’s original scale (SOC-13 and

SOC-29), translated into Swedish, and a three-item scale

(SOC-3) that claims to measure Sense of Coherence.



Methods: The data were analysed in a cross-sectional

setting. The study consisted of university students

studying social work (n=395.



Results: The original scales had no distribution problems

in differentiating Sense of Coherence. The SOC-3 had

severe distribution problems. The two versions of the

original Sense of Coherence scale had an acceptable

reliability (Cronbach’s a; SOC-29=0.93, SOC-13=0.89).

The SOC-3 scale did not have an acceptable reliability

(Cronbach’s a=0.39). SOC-29 and SOC-13 had a high

intercorrelation (r=0.96, p,0.001). The SOC-3 significantly

correlated with SOC-29 (r=20.72, p,0.001) and

SOC-13 (r=20.67, p,0.001), but the magnitude was

significantly lower than the intercorrelation between SOC-

29 and SOC-13 (Fisher’s z-transformation, p,0.001.



Conclusions: Because scales that claim to measure the

same construct are not always interchangeable,

researchers should make sure they compare results from

studies that use the same scales. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
sense of coherence, sense of coherence scales
in
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
volume
63
issue
2
pages
166 - 167
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • wos:000262408800014
  • scopus:59949091274
ISSN
1470-2738
DOI
10.1136/jech.2007.063420
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d9c58dd9-aaf4-47d1-ad31-ddd0cf0cdaf1 (old id 1303803)
alternative location
http://jech.bmj.com.ludwig.lub.lu.se/cgi/reprint/63/2/166
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:52:13
date last changed
2022-02-10 22:42:06
@article{d9c58dd9-aaf4-47d1-ad31-ddd0cf0cdaf1,
  abstract     = {{Background: Different scales claim to measure the<br/><br>
construct ‘‘Sense of Coherence’’. Results from these<br/><br>
scales have been compared without knowing whether<br/><br>
they measure the same construct. This article compares<br/><br>
two versions of Antonovsky’s original scale (SOC-13 and<br/><br>
SOC-29), translated into Swedish, and a three-item scale<br/><br>
(SOC-3) that claims to measure Sense of Coherence.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Methods: The data were analysed in a cross-sectional<br/><br>
setting. The study consisted of university students<br/><br>
studying social work (n=395.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Results: The original scales had no distribution problems<br/><br>
in differentiating Sense of Coherence. The SOC-3 had<br/><br>
severe distribution problems. The two versions of the<br/><br>
original Sense of Coherence scale had an acceptable<br/><br>
reliability (Cronbach’s a; SOC-29=0.93, SOC-13=0.89).<br/><br>
The SOC-3 scale did not have an acceptable reliability<br/><br>
(Cronbach’s a=0.39). SOC-29 and SOC-13 had a high<br/><br>
intercorrelation (r=0.96, p,0.001). The SOC-3 significantly<br/><br>
correlated with SOC-29 (r=20.72, p,0.001) and<br/><br>
SOC-13 (r=20.67, p,0.001), but the magnitude was<br/><br>
significantly lower than the intercorrelation between SOC-<br/><br>
29 and SOC-13 (Fisher’s z-transformation, p,0.001.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Conclusions: Because scales that claim to measure the<br/><br>
same construct are not always interchangeable,<br/><br>
researchers should make sure they compare results from<br/><br>
studies that use the same scales.}},
  author       = {{Bergström, Martin and Gassne, Jan and Hansson, Kjell}},
  issn         = {{1470-2738}},
  keywords     = {{sense of coherence; sense of coherence scales}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{166--167}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health}},
  title        = {{Do different scales measure the same construct? Three Sense of Coherence scales.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2007.063420}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/jech.2007.063420}},
  volume       = {{63}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}