Psychometric properties of the Death Reflection Scale - Indian version

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cross-cultural psychology

Background:

• Contemplating mortality enhances mindfulness and appreciation for life.
• The Death Reflection Scale (DRS) is a validated tool for assessing positive aspects of mortality reflection.
• Previous validation was established in German populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Death Reflection Scale within the Indian population.
• To confirm the scale's cross-cultural applicability and relevance for diverse Eastern ethnicities.
• To establish the psychometric properties of the DRS for Indian participants.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative approach was employed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
• A non-clinical sample of 381 Indian participants (aged 19-90) completed the Death Reflection Scale.
• Cultural validation was performed to ensure relevance and appropriateness.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed the scale's validity with a CFI of 0.951, GFI of 0.929, and RMSEA of 0.07.
• The scale demonstrated discriminant, convergent, and factorial validity.
• High reliability was established with an internal consistency of α = 0.92.

Conclusions:

• The Indian validation of the Death Reflection Scale meets essential requirements for psychological evaluations.
• The scale is appropriate for use in scholarly research within the Indian context.
• The findings support the DRS's utility in cross-cultural research on mortality reflection.