Psychometric Properties of a New Mexican Optimism Scale: Ethnopsychological Approach

• Published in: European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education psychology and education, 2023-11, Vol.13 (12), p.2747-2764
• Main Authors: Palacios Delgado, Jorge Raúl, Acevedo Ibarra, Jessica Noemí
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Behavior Modification; Construct Validity; Content Validity; Cultural Context; Culture; Emotional Intelligence; Emotions; ethnopsychological approach; Expectation; Factor Structure; Females; Gender differences; Gender Discrimination; Health Behavior; Health Promotion; Individual Characteristics; Individual Differences; Interpersonal Relationship; Males; Measurement Techniques; Optimism; Personality; Personality Traits; Pessimism; Positive Attitudes; Psychological Characteristics; Psychometrics; Quantitative psychology; Resistance (Psychology); scale; Self Efficacy; Validation studies; Validity; Womens health
• ISSN: 2254-9625; 2174-8144; 2254-9625
• DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe13120190

In this paper, a Mexican Optimism Scale was constructed to investigate and estimate psychometric properties (reliability and validity based on the measurement model). The convergent validity and validity criterion were evaluated for a sample of young Mexicans. The scale was presented to 848 Mexican young people aged between 17 and 30 years from three different regions of Mexico. The scale was reduced to 20 items on the basis of CFA and analyses of internal consistency. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested a three-factor structure of optimism: affective resources, positive vision and hope. The data provided evidence for convergent validity with positive affect, negative affect and coping. Additionally, males scored higher on affective resources and positive vision than females. Finally, the results support the reliability of the instrument. The psychometric properties of the Mexican Optimism Scale proved to be highly acceptable and allow for a novel assessment of optimism from an ethnopsychological perspective. Validity, reliability and invariance were determined, as well as percentiles for the practical use of the scale. This scale may be of crucial importance for future research on optimism and health.