Measuring Contemplation-Based Spiritual Development: Conceptualization and Psychometric Analysis

Contemplation is considered a fundamental consciousness practice that supports spiritual development in both classical Islamic thought and modern spiritual approaches. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure individuals’ contemplation-based spiritual development levels. Following a literature review and conceptual framework establishment an initial item pool was created. Expert opinions ensured content validity resulting in an 11-item draft form. Pilot testing with 40 participants demonstrated temporal consistency via test-retest methodology. For the main application, data were collected from two independent adult samples (18-65 years) 357 participants for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and 409 for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). EFA led to the removal of four items due to low factor loadings or high correlations, resulting in a final 7-item scale. The revised EFA indicated excellent sampling adequacy (KMO=0.87) and a significant Bartlett’s test. The scale demonstrated a unidimensional structure, explaining 53.4% of the total variance, with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=.84). CFA confirmed excellent model fit (χ²/df=2.84, RMSEA=.067, CFI=.98, GFI=.97). The resultant 7-item Contemplation-Based Spiritual Development Scale is a psychometrically sound instrument expected to contribute to research in psychology of religion and serve as a foundation for similar measurement tools.