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Validation of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale in a South African student group

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Cromhout, Amanda
Schutte, Lusilda
Wissing, Marié P.

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Sage

Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the English version of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale with subscales Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness in a South African student sample. The participants were a nonprobability sample of 322 students from a South African university. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the scale’s factorial validity. Neither a one-factor nor a three-factor model fitted the original 21-item scale. After problematic items were removed, a 17-item Basic Psychological Needs Scale with a negatively worded method effect fitted the data best, but the fit was inadequate. Although the 17-item scale exhibited good convergent and discriminant validity, the internal consistency reliability remained low. The Basic Psychological Needs Scale had limited application in a South African student sample as a domain-general measure of basic psychological need satisfaction. Questions are raised regarding the extent to which the scale taps the construct under study in the current sample

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Cromhout, A. et al. 2018. Validation of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale in a South African student group. South African journal of psychology, 48(4):501-513. [https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246317728267]

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