Measuring hope: validity of short versions of four popular hope scales

Abstract

Popular hope-instruments differ significantly in how they define hope. Due to their length, these instruments are rarely used in large-scale surveys or combined in interdisciplinary research. This study validates short versions of four hope instruments; the Adult Trait Hope Scale; Herth Hope Index; Locus Of Hope Scale; and spiritual dimension of the Comprehensive Hope Scale. Results show that the short versions function equally well as their longer counterparts. However, all scales show remarkably low correlations with similar concepts such as a single-item-hope-question and expectations. We argue that hope is a multi-dimensional phenomenon and that each of these instrument covers only one part of the experience, meaning that combining these instruments would yield more comprehensive insights. Moreover, cross-cultural comparison indicates that the social LOHS and spiritual CHS are less important in the Netherlands compared to Mexico. These findings suggest that different instruments might be more relevant in different contexts.