The sense of coherence concept and its relation to personality traits in Swedish samples

The paper proposes that Antonovsky's salutogenic orientation and his sense of coherence (SOC) concept provide a sound theoretical basis for the study and strengthening of the caring component in clinical practice. In order to study the operational utility of the concept, the 29-item SOC questionnaire (in two formats) was administered to five Swedish samples (3 groups of nurses, patients in a hospital emergency department, and a general population sample). Psychometric data are provided which test the internal and test-retest reliability of the SOC scale. A Self-Motivation Inventory (SMI) and the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) were used to test the relation between the SOC concept and personality traits. The results revealed that those with strong SOC also scored as having more general motivation and less Somatic and Psychic Anxiety as well as less Hostility. In addition the data, though in some part modest in sample size, consistently supported the view that the SOC scale is a robust instrument. Particular note is taken of its crosscultural character and of its potential utility in clinical work.