Test Sensu Życia (Purpose in Life Test, PIL) J.C. Crumbaugha i L.T. Maholicka: analiza psychometryczna

Jolanta Życińska , Maciej Januszek

Abstract

The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the Purpose in Life Test (PIL). The outcome of the confirmatory factor analysis was to be used as the basis for a new factor-analytic model. Its structure changes in groups were to be thoroughly examined as regards age, gender and education. The study comprised a total of 426 subjects (including 328 females) aged 18-94 (M = 53.64; SD = 22.06). First, the 7-factor theoretical model underwent confirmatory analysis. Having obtained a negative result, an exploratory analysis was carried out in order to statistically determine an optimal number of factors. Such a three-factor model was then used to conduct confirmatory analyses. A one-factor model (items 4, 5, 9, 12, 17, 20) was eventually adopted as the most optimal solution. Two- and three-factor models could only be used after correlated residuals (covariants) were introduced, which were difficult to interpret. The reliability determined for the one-dimensional model of the PIL was - Cronbach's alpha - 0.853. The age, gender and education did not have a significant influence on the one-factor structure. The 6-item PIL offers several improvements over the 20-item PIL, including no item overlap with negative emotions, better discriminant validity, and a stable factor structure.