Psychology15 papers
Measuring the unmeasurable: Psychometric tools for Existential Concerns
Key psychometric instruments for measuring existential concerns: meaning in life, existential isolation, and existential anxiety.
ES
Evgeny Smirnov
All Reviews
PsychologyWorth Reading
intermediate
Validating the Existential Quest Scale using item response theory
Marco Rizzo et al. (2026)
- Published
- Jan 9, 2026
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1716603
At a GlanceAI
Rasch IRT validation shows the Existential Quest Scale is unidimensional, invariant across groups, and offers item-level guidance for improvement.
SummaryAI
The study strengthens measurement of “existential quest”—openness to engaging existential questions in religious or secular contexts—by moving beyond classical test theory to item response theory. Using Rasch modeling in a large heterogeneous sample, it finds the EQS is unidimensional, discriminates levels of existential quest, and is measurement-invariant across sex, age, and religious affiliation, supporting fair comparison across groups. The analyses also flag specific item/response category issues and propose revisions, improving the tool’s precision for research on psychological flexibility, identity development, and social attitudes in multicultural settings.
Method SnapshotAI
Rasch (item response theory) modeling was used to test dimensionality, item functioning, and measurement invariance in a large survey sample.
BackgroundAI
Basic psychometrics (reliability/validity) plus familiarity with existential concerns and questionnaire measurement (CTT vs IRT/Rasch).