Description
This 34-item measure is a compilation of existing scales and individual items that is used to comprehensively
assess religiosity, largely within the Christian tradition. There is also an abbreviated 15-item version that assesses
the above dimensions, although excludes religious affiliation, belief, experience, knowledge, and desire for
prayer.
Sample
The full 34-item SRS was administered to 106 older adults seen in a geriatric medicine clinic (mean age 74)
and 87 pastors, priests, and rabbis from the community ( Koenig et al., 1988a ). The abbreviated 15-item version of
the SRS was administered to 836 community-dwelling older adults (including a group of retired Catholic sisters,
older church members, and senior center participants) ( Koenig, Kvale, & Ferrel, 1988b ).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients of the abbreviated version of the SRS obtained in the study of 836 older adults
were 0.61 for ORA, 0.63 for NORA, and 0.87 for IR subscales ( Koenig et al., 1988b ).
Test/C0Retest
Although test /C0retest correlations were not quantified, the six-week test /C0retest reliability in a small sample of
11 persons aged 60 /C092 years indicated .90% agreement. Highest stability was found for religious well-being
(97%) and for intrinsic religiosity (91%), whereas the lowest stability was for organizational religious activity
(76% agreement) ( Koenig et al., 1988a ).
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
Average scores on the ORA, NORA, and IR subscales were compared between 183 retired Catholic sisters, 224
older church members, 95 geriatric clinic patients, and 318 older adults attending senior centers, with signifi-
cantly higher scores achieved in the sisters and geriatric clinic patients ( Koenig et al., 1988b ). The 10-item intrinsic
religiosity subscale (Hoge IR scale) was administered to 86 ministers representing 18 Christian denominations
and two Jewish groups, who were asked to respond to the items as a truly religious person would and a mean
score of 46.5 out of a maximum possible of 50 was the result ( Koenig et al., 1988a ). Positive intercorrelations exist
between the various subscales (0.58 to 0.62) ( Koenig et al., 1988b ).
Divergent/Discriminant
Modest correlations have been reported between the three subscales of the 15-item SRS and psychological,
social, and physical health measures ( Koenig et al., 1988b ). The IR subscale is weakly correlated with subjective
coping (0.12), social support (0.09), and subjective health (0.03). Similar correlations have been found with the
NORA subscale (0.12, 0.05, and 20.04, respectively), as well as correlations with the ORA subscale (0.14, 0.12,
and 0.08, respectively). Discriminant correlation coefficients are similarly weak for the 34-item version ( Koenig,
Moberg, & Kvale, 1988c ).
Construct/Factor Analytic
A principal components analysis of the 34-item version identified seven components (intrinsic religiosity,
orthodoxy of belief, religious well-being, a communal factor that included number of friends in congregation, a
negative factor with negatively worded items, and a factor on which the rest of the items loaded). A principal
components analysis of the 15-item version revealed three dimensions (labeled: intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic reli-
giosity, and religious ritual, respectively). Component loadings were not reported, however ( Koenig et al., 1988a ).
Criterion/Predictive
No information is currently available on criterion/predictive validity.
Location
Koenig, H.G., Smiley, M., & Gonzales, J. (1988). Religion, health, and aging (pp. 171 /C0187). Westport, CT:
Greenwood.546 19. MEASURES OF RELIGIOSITY
V. VICES AND VIRTUES