Description
The original SHS consisted of 12 statements to which respondents indicate their degree of agreement. Eight
items contain hope-related statements and four are fillers. In line with their definition of hope, the AHS contains
four items that assess agency and four items that assess pathways. The four filler items reflect other, non-hope
related constructs. Item response format is on a four point scale from 1 definitely false to 4 definitely true and
total hope scores can range from eight to 32 (Snyder et al., 1991). The AHS has also been normed for use with
children (also the Children’s Hope Scale (CHS) contains six hope statements reworded to be more understandable
for children with a six point Likert-type response scale from 1 none of the time to 6 all of the time and total scores
can range from six to 36) (Snyder et al., 1997).
Sample
The original SHS was validated with six separate samples ( N54126) composed of both introductory psychol-
ogy students and two clinical samples. The overall mean hope scores ranged from 22.60 ( SD54.35) to 25.64
(SD52.93) with an overall average of 24.70 ( SD53.33). Although males and females did not significantly differ
in hope scores, those in the clinical samples reported lower overall hope than those in the college samples
(Snyder et al., 1991). The CHS was validated with a sample of children aged 9 to 14 years ( N5372). Mean hope
scores were similar at pretest ( M525.41, SD54.99) and posttest ( M527.03, SD54.51) (Snyder et al., 1997).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients reported for the original measure range from .74 to .84 among the eight sample
groups (mean 5.77) (Snyder et al., 1991). Alpha coefficients for the Children’s Hope Scale range from .74 to .81
(Snyder et al., 1997).
Test/C0Retest
Test/C0retest reliability for the original measure is acceptable at three weeks ( r5.85), eight weeks ( r5.73), and
10 weeks ( r5.76;r5.82) (Snyder et al., 1991). Test /C0retest reliability for the children’s measure at one month was
r5.71 (Snyder et al., 1997). A recent meta-analysis ( Hellman, Pittman, & Munoz 2013 ) of the past two decades of
research using the SNH reported strong test /C0retest reliability coefficients that did not vary significantly across
different types of samples.
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
SHS scores correlate positively with measures of optimism (Life Orientation Test r5.60; General Expectancies
for Success Scale r5.55), control (Burger /C0Cooper Life Experiences Survey r5.54; Problem Solving Inventory
r5.62), esteem (Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale r5.53) (Snyder et al., 1991). Also CHS scores correlate positively
with children’s assessment of competencies in scholastics ( r5.59), social acceptance ( r5.43), athletics ( r5.34),
physical appearance ( r5.46), and behavioral conduct ( r5.41) (Snyder et al. 1997).
Divergent/Discriminant
SHS scores correlate negatively with measures of hopelessness and depression (Beck Hopelessness Scale
r52.51; Beck Depression Inventory r52.42) and general measures of psychological problems (MMPI rs52.30 to
2.60) (Snyder et al., 1991). SHS scores do not correlate with the unrelated Self-Consciousness Scale ( rs5.06,2.03).
Also, CHS scores do not correlate with intelligence ( r5.03) (Snyder et al., 1997).
Construct/Factor Analytic
For the CHS, a principal components analysis with varimax rotation yielded a two-dimensional solution
accounting for approximately 58% of the total variance in line with Snyder and colleagues’ (1997) two-
dimensional definition of hope (agency and pathways).
Criterion/Predictive
SHS scores are predictive of high school ( r5.17) and college GPA ( r5.13) as well as expected grades ( r5.32)
and number of goals held by participants ( r5.24) (Snyder et al., 1991). CHS scores correlate positively with Iowa
Test of Basic Skills percentile scores ( r5.50) (Snyder et al., 1997).51 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
II. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITIONS