The Will-to-Live Scale: Validity and Reliability Among Portuguese Adolescents

Abstract

This work presents psychometric analyses of the Will-to-Live Scale (WTLS) among Portuguese adolescents. Two studies were carried out to establish the psychometric characteristics of the WTLS. Findings of both studies pointed out that the WTLS has satisfactory reliability and validity. Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis of the WTLS evidenced a unidimensional structure. Different types of reliability estimates of the WTLS were also good. Findings also supported the convergent validity of the WTLS through significant positive correlations, between will-to-live and life satisfaction, satisfaction with family life, positive affect, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence, and negative associations with negative affect, depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings of this research indicate that the WTLS is a valid and reliable tool among Portuguese adolescents.