Developing a short form of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-SF) in psychedelic samples

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychedelic Research
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The original Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) is a comprehensive measure of awe.
• A shorter version is needed to reduce participant burden in research, particularly within psychedelic contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a short-form version of the AWE-S (AWE-SF) for use in psychedelic samples.
• To ensure the AWE-SF maintains psychometric integrity while reducing participant burden.

Main Methods:

• Replicated the six-factor structure of the AWE-S using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
• Developed the 12-item AWE-SF across multiple studies.
• Assessed initial and predictive validity by correlating the AWE-SF with emotional, psychedelic, and well-being outcomes.

Main Results:

• The AWE-SF demonstrated strong positive associations with positive emotions and openness to experience.
• The scale effectively predicted mystical-type and challenging psychedelic experiences.
• Specific facets (connection, vastness, accommodation, self-loss) related to distinct emotional and experiential outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The AWE-SF is a robust, reliable, and accessible tool for measuring awe experience.
• This validated short-form scale is suitable for research involving psychedelic use and well-being.
• The findings highlight the nuanced relationship between specific awe facets and psychological outcomes.