بررسی ویژگی‌های روان‌سنجی نسخۀ فارسی مقیاس تماس با خویشتن (SCS-P)

Extended Abstract (4 Pages)
Introduction
Self-connection is a concept introduced by Klossman and colleagues that focuses on the connection with one’s inner self. It consists of three interrelated components:
1. Self-Awareness: Recognizing how one thinks, feels, and behaves, along with an understanding of personal values, goals, and priorities. This involves paying attention to one’s internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions over time.
2. Self-Acceptance: Unconditionally embracing the content revealed by self-awareness, including internal states and values. Without acceptance, awareness alone may be ineffective or even harmful, as it can leave a person misaligned with their inner truths.
3. self-alignment: Ensuring that one’s actions are consistent with the self-awareness and self-acceptance one has achieved. When behavior aligns with the inner self, psychological needs are met and cognitive dissonance is minimized.
The construct of self- connection is distinguished from related concepts like authenticity, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Although authenticity involves acting in accordance with one’s true self, it primarily concerns external expression. Similarly, while mindfulness emphasizes non-judgmental awareness, it does not necessarily include the aspect of self-alignment; and self-compassion focuses on caring for oneself during hardships rather than on deep self-exploration.
Research shows that levels of self- connection are linked to mental health outcomes, with lower self- connection associated with higher anxiety and depression, and reduced well-being. Recognizing its unique dimensions, Klossman and colleagues developed a dedicated 12-item scale in 2022. Since a Persian version of this scale is not yet available, the present study aims to translate it into Persian and assess its psychometric properties in the Iranian population.

Method
The present cross-sectional psychometric study evaluated the properties of the Self‑Connection Scale. Initially, after translating the original version into Persian using a forward–backward method, face validity was assessed by 5 expert psychologists/counselors (each with at least 5 years of relevant experience) and 10 laypersons from the target population. Their feedback on clarity and comprehensibility led to necessary revisions. Subsequently, content validity was examined by calculating the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) based on the opinions of 10 experts, with values ranging from 0.65 to 1.00 and 0.82 to 1.00 respectively, confirming acceptable content validity.
For further evaluation of criterion validity, construct validity, and reliability, sampling was conducted from the target population—comprising all residents over 18 years old in Isfahan during Spring 2024. A sample of 128 participants (with at least 10 individuals per item of the scale) was selected by randomly choosing four busy parks and recruiting 30–40 individuals from each. Inclusion criteria were fluency in Persian, basic literacy, and a minimum age of 18, while questionnaires with more than 10% missing responses were excluded. The study instrument includes: (1) Pesian version of Self‑Connection Scale (SCS-P), (2) Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), (3) Short Form of the Self‑Compassion Scale (SCS-SF), AND (4) Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ).

Results (300-350)
To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of Self‑Connection Scale, a sample of 128 participants was selected. Among them, 71 (55.5%) were women and 57 (44.5%) were men; 67 (52.3%) were single while 61 (47.7%) were married. Educational levels varied: 18.8% had up to a high school diploma, 61.7% held an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, and 19.5% possessed a master’s degree or higher. Their ages ranged from 20 to 50 years (34.35±8.38), with approximately one‐third in each of the 20–30, 30–40, and 40–50 age groups. Participants’ scores were reported as follows: on the SCS‑P, scores ranged from 42 to 84 (89.60±55.10); on the FFMQ, from 86 to 170 (129.30±98.18); on the SCS‑SF, from 14 to 60 (97.38± 72.8); and on the MLQ, from 21 to 69 (52.52±01.10).
For concurrent validity, Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed significant positive relationships between the self‑awareness subscale and the FFMQ (r=0.491, p<0.01), between the self‑acceptance subscale and the SCS‑SF (r=0.459, p<0.01), and between the self-alignment subscale and the MLQ (r=0.308, p<0.01), thereby confirming the SCS‑P’s concurrent validity.
Construct validity was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The initial model did not fit well. After modifying the model by adding covariances between items 1 and 4, 9 and 11, and 10 and 12, fit indices improved: the χ²/df ratio was 1.984, RMSEA reached 0.088, IFI was 0.900, and RMR was 0.197—all acceptable. Indices such as GFI (0.890), NFI (0.817), CFI (0.896), TLI (0.857), and RFI (0.749) approached acceptable levels. Lower AIC and BIC values in the modified model further indicated a better fit. Although not all indices fully met the cutoff points, overall model fit improved, with all factor loadings exceeding 0.40 and statistically significant (p<0.05), as illustrated in Figure 1.


Figure 1: Standardized Coefficients of Modified Model

Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding 0.817 for the overall scale, 0.767 for the self‑awareness subscale, 0.682 for the self‑acceptance subscale, and 0.738 for the self-alignment subscale—all within acceptable ranges. Finally, split‑half reliability was evaluated by dividing the items into two halves (odd‑numbered versus even‑numbered). The Spearman–Brown coefficients indicated satisfactory split‑half reliability: 0.879 for the total scale, 0.766 for the self‑awareness subscale, 0.781 for the self‑acceptance subscale, and 0.818 for the self-alignment subscale.

Conclusion
Self‑contact is a novel construct that has garnered significant attention from researchers. This study translated the 12‑item Self‑Contact Scale and examined its psychometric properties, thereby providing a validated tool for assessing this construct. The findings confirmed the scale’s face, content, criterion, and construct validity, as well as its reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the existence of three factors: self‑awareness, acceptance of that awareness, and self-alignment with that awareness. Further research with a more diverse population is recommended to enhance the tool’s validity, and additional studies should explore the relationship between self‑contact and related constructs in mental health and psychological disorders to clarify its role in well‑being and associated challenges.

Ethical Consideration
Compliance with Ethical Guidelines
The proposal for this study was approved on Apr. 17, 2024 and for its conduct, the code of ethics number IR.USWR.REC.1403.104 was received on Aug. 17, 2024 from the Ethics Committee of the University of Rehabilitation Sciences and Social Health, Tehran, Iran. In the study process, the ethical principles of authority, independence, and confidentiality regarding the subjects were considered. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants to enter the study, and their participation in the study was voluntary. They were also assured that their information would remain confidential. Before submitting the questionnaires, the participants were also given the necessary information about the purpose and method of the study.


Conflict of Interest
According to the authors, there were no conflicts of interest.

Author’s Contribution
Conceptualization: Dr. Bahman Bahmani and Seyed Amirhossein Ahmadi; Methodology: All authors; Investigation: Seyed Amirhossein Ahmadi; Statistical Analysis: Dr. Razieh Bidahandi Yarandi and Seyed Mohsen Kheirkhah Alavi; Writing, Review, and Editing: All authors

Funding
This article is extracted from the results of the master's thesis in rehabilitation counseling of the first author at the Faculty of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, University of Rehabilitation Sciences and Social Health, Tehran, Iran, and has not received any financial support.

Acknowledgements
The researchers extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone involved in this study, especially the participants.