[Factor structure of the SOC scale 13-item version in Japanese university students]

The purpose of the present study was to examine the construct validity of Antonovsky's (1987) sense of coherence scale (SOC) 13-item version, with a sample of Japanese university students. Subjects were 1,110 university students who completed a self-administered questionnaire including items on individual characteristics (age, sex), the Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) and the SOC scale. Exploratory factor analysis of the SOC scale yielded an interpretable two-factor solution with "comprehensibility-manageability" and "meaningfulness". Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an a priori defined SOC second-order factor model composed of comprehensibility-manageability and meaningfulness factor to have an acceptable fit (chi-square=327.065, df=64, GFI=0.957, CFI=0.872, RMSEA= 0.061). Moreover, structural equation modeling showed that there are theoretically consistent relationships among individual SOC factors and depression. In particular, the meaningfulness factor proved better predictor of depression than the comprehensibility-manageability factor. These findings support the construct validity of the SOC scale and suggest that two SOC sub scores may provide clinically applicable information, rather than the total score.