Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach

The Sense of Agency (SoA) refers to the subjective experience of controlling one’s actions and the external events resulting from those actions. This study aimed to critically evaluate the construct validity, robustness, and clinical utility of the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS) in an Italian-speaking...

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Main Authors: Simone Di Plinio, Claudia Greco, Simone Arnò, Marco Innamorati, Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/17
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author Simone Di Plinio
Claudia Greco
Simone Arnò
Marco Innamorati
Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch
author_facet Simone Di Plinio
Claudia Greco
Simone Arnò
Marco Innamorati
Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch
author_sort Simone Di Plinio
collection DOAJ
description The Sense of Agency (SoA) refers to the subjective experience of controlling one’s actions and the external events resulting from those actions. This study aimed to critically evaluate the construct validity, robustness, and clinical utility of the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS) in an Italian-speaking population, using a data-driven approach to explore potential factor structures. A sample of 992 adults completed the SoAS alongside other validated psychological measures, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the scale’s psychometric properties. An iterative process of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) was implemented to assess both two-factor and bifactor models. A refined 10-item version of the SoAS was established, comprising two distinct factors: Sense of Positive Agency (SoPA, five items) and Sense of Negative Agency (SoNA, five items). The results favored a two-factor solution supported by satisfying fit indices, factor loadings, and stability. The revised scale demonstrated strong internal consistency, with McDonald’s omega values of 0.79 (SoNA) and 0.87 (SoPA). This study extends the literature by providing evidence of the scale’s convergent and divergent validity, with significant correlations in the expected directions with constructs such as sense of self, hopelessness, impulsiveness, psychosis-like experiences, and schizotypal traits. These findings support the revised SoAS as a reliable and valid measure for assessing the Sense of Agency and highlight its broader applicability in understanding psychological and psychopathological constructs.
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spelling doaj-art-65b5374a870e4c1088ca7704b0b0c3952025-01-24T13:22:37ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-12-011511710.3390/bs15010017Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap ApproachSimone Di Plinio0Claudia Greco1Simone Arnò2Marco Innamorati3Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch4Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Human Sciences, Università Europea di Roma, 00163 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, ItalyThe Sense of Agency (SoA) refers to the subjective experience of controlling one’s actions and the external events resulting from those actions. This study aimed to critically evaluate the construct validity, robustness, and clinical utility of the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS) in an Italian-speaking population, using a data-driven approach to explore potential factor structures. A sample of 992 adults completed the SoAS alongside other validated psychological measures, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the scale’s psychometric properties. An iterative process of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) was implemented to assess both two-factor and bifactor models. A refined 10-item version of the SoAS was established, comprising two distinct factors: Sense of Positive Agency (SoPA, five items) and Sense of Negative Agency (SoNA, five items). The results favored a two-factor solution supported by satisfying fit indices, factor loadings, and stability. The revised scale demonstrated strong internal consistency, with McDonald’s omega values of 0.79 (SoNA) and 0.87 (SoPA). This study extends the literature by providing evidence of the scale’s convergent and divergent validity, with significant correlations in the expected directions with constructs such as sense of self, hopelessness, impulsiveness, psychosis-like experiences, and schizotypal traits. These findings support the revised SoAS as a reliable and valid measure for assessing the Sense of Agency and highlight its broader applicability in understanding psychological and psychopathological constructs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/17sense of agencyItalian adaptationexploratory factor analysispsychosisidentitysense of self
spellingShingle Simone Di Plinio
Claudia Greco
Simone Arnò
Marco Innamorati
Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch
Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
Behavioral Sciences
sense of agency
Italian adaptation
exploratory factor analysis
psychosis
identity
sense of self
title Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
title_full Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
title_fullStr Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
title_full_unstemmed Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
title_short Validation of the Italian Sense of Agency Scale and Its Relevance to Well-Being: An Iterative Bootstrap Approach
title_sort validation of the italian sense of agency scale and its relevance to well being an iterative bootstrap approach
topic sense of agency
Italian adaptation
exploratory factor analysis
psychosis
identity
sense of self
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/17
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