Examining the Psychometric Validity of the Five-Item Gratitude Questionnaire: An Item Response Theory Approach

Abstract

The present investigation explored the psychometric validity of the five-item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-5) using a construct validation approach. Concerning within-network construct validity, results of item response theory (IRT) analysis via graded response model (GRM) showed that this scale could not discriminate individuals who score high in gratitude and the 7-scale response options could be modified to a 6-scale response choice. As regards to between-network construct validity, findings demonstrated that gratitude was positively correlated to both controlled and autonomous motivation. Implications are discussed to refine the assessment of gratitude in the school contexts.

Keywords

academic motivation Gratitude Questionnaire item response theory analysis

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Caleon

I. S.

Wui

M. G. L.

Tan

J. P.

Chiam

C. L.

Soon

T. C.

King

R. B.

(2015). Cross-cultural validation of the academic motivation scale: A Singapore investigation. Child Indicators Research, 8, 925-942.

Chen

L. H.

Chen

M.-Y.

Kee

Y. H.

Tsai

Y.-M.

(2009). Validation of the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ) in Taiwanese undergraduate students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 655-664.

Datu

J. A. D.

(2014). Forgiveness, gratitude and subjective well-being among Filipino adolescents. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 36, 262-273.

Datu

J. A. D.

Mateo

N. J.

(2015). Gratitude and life satisfaction among Filipino adolescents: The mediating role of meaning in life. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 37, 198-206.

Fredrickson

B. L.

(2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218-226.

Froh

J. J.

Emmons

R. A.

Card

N. A.

Bono

Wilson

J. A.

(2011). Gratitude and the reduced costs of materialism in adolescents. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12, 289-302.

Langer

A. I.

Ulloa

V. G.

Aguilar-Parra

J. M.

Araya-Véliz

Brito

(2016). Validation of a Spanish translation of the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) with a Chilean sample of adults and high schoolers. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 14, Article 53.

McCullough

M. E.

Emmons

R. A.

Tsang

(2002). The grateful disposition: A conceptual and empirical topography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 112-127.

Park

Peterson

Seligman

M. E. P.

(2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 603-619.

10.

Rizopoulos

(2006). Ltm: An R package for latent variable modelling and item response theory analyses. Journal of Statistical Software, 17, 1-25.

11.

Shahar

Henrich

C. C.

Blatt

S. J.

Ryan

R. M.

Little

T. D.

(2003). Interpersonal relatedness, self-definition, and their motivational orientation during adolescence: A theoretical and empirical integration. Developmental Psychology, 39, 470-483.

12.

Sheldon

K. M.

Lyubomirsky

(2006). How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 73-82.

13.

Valdez

J. P. M.

Yang

Datu

J. A. D.

(2017). Validation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in Filipino secondary school students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 20, E45. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2017.51

14.

Watkins

P. C.

Woodward

Stone

Kolts

R. L.

(2003). Gratitude and happiness: Development of a measure of gratitude and relationships with subjective well-being. Social Behavior and Personality, 31, 431-452.