Adaptation and Validation of Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale (RPWS) Among Adolescents in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of Ryff’s Psychological Well-beingScale (RPWS) among adolescents residing in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional studydesign was used. The study sample comprised 340 adolescents in grades 9 to 12, chosen through astratified random sampling technique. The validation stool, RPWS, was utilized to gather datatogether with an anchor scale: Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, andHappiness-EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-being. In order to ensure content equivalence andconsistency of meaning between the source English version and Afaan Oromoo version of the scale,professional bilingual experts have conducted forward and backward translation. Moreover, an expertreview panel consisting of six psychologists assessed the content validity of both scales. The internalconsistency reliability of the scales were evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha. Furthermore,descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, and Confirmatory FactorAnalysis (CFA), were employed to analyze the data. Overall reliability index for the RPWS wasacceptable (α = 0.89). The convergent validity of the RPWS was established by a significant moderatepositive correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) with the EPOCH measure of adolescent well-being, whichassesses a similar construct. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed the RPWS six-factormodel fit to the data gathered from a sample of Ethiopian adolescents residing in Jimma town,yielding a Chi square value of 4.268, CFI of .962, and an RMSEA of .067.Tthe findings confirm thatthe original factor structure of the RPWS, following the exclusion of items with insufficient factorloadings, effectively captured the distinct dimensions of psychological well-being within the studysample.. The researchers recommended further psychometric testing of the RPWS in differentEthiopian socio-cultural contexts.