Divergent/Discriminant
FMS-V is weakly and inversely related to symptoms of mental distress ( 20.11 to 20.23), whereas FMS-H is
weakly and more likely to be positively related to distress ( 20.07 to 10.19). FMS-V is weakly related to Quest
(20.12 and 0.13, respectively) ( Salsman & Carlson, 2005 ).
Construct/Factor Analytic
A principal components analysis ( N52196) (Christians) identified two dimensions with loadings ranging
from 0.60 to 0.89 ( Hui et al., 2011 ).
Criterion/Predictive
Religious ministers scored highest on the FMS global measure as compared with other groups in the original
study ( Benson et al., 1993 ).
Location
Benson, P.L., Donahue, M.J., & Erickson, J.A. (1993). The Faith Maturity Scale: Conceptualization, measure-
ment, and empirical validation. In M.L. Lynn & D.O. Moberg (Eds.), Research in the social scientific study of religion
(Vol. 5, pp. 1 /C026). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Hill, P.C. & Roof, W.C. (1999). Measures of religiosity (pp. 172 /C0173). Birmingham, AL: Religious Education
Press.
Results and Comments
The FMS scale has not been used very often in religion-health research, although this measure has good face
validity, high internal consistency ( Benson et al., 1993 ), and the FMS-V subscale is highly correlated with mea-
sures of intrinsic religiosity ( Salsman & Carlson, 2005 ).
FMS SAMPLE ITEMS
Items included in the scale ask questions about how
faith affects the way the person thinks and acts each day
(FMS-V) and to what extent the person is active in social
justice issues (FMS-H). For example, statements for the
FMS-V are those like ‘My religious beliefs affect how I
think and act in my everyday affairs’ and ‘In my daily
life I constantly see evidence that God is involved in the
world’ (similar but not directly quoted). Examples ofstatements on the FMS-H are ‘I am worried that our
country doesn’t do much to help the poor’ and ‘I feel
responsible for doing something to relieve suffering in
the world’ (similar but not directly quoted).
Note: Permission from the Fuller Youth Institute is
required to use the FMS scale http://fulleryouthinsti-
tute.org/ (Retrieved May 21, 2014).
Religious History Scale (RHS)
(George, 1999 ).
Variable
Religious history involves degree of exposure to religious belief and practices across the life span ( George,
1999).
Description
The 20-item RHS (brief religious history) measure, which is included within the Fetzer Institute MMRS, seeks
to quantitatively assess lifetime exposure to religion. Items ask about religious transitions and the age at which
these transitions occurred, as well as about the frequency of participation in religious activities at various ages.
Both a 24-item long form (with multiple sub-questions depending on responses) and a two item short form of the
scale exist (see below). For the long form, response options for the brief religious history section are 1 ‘low’, 2
‘medium’, and 3 ‘high’ for each question. For the 5-item history as a child section, the score range is 5 /C015 overall;
for the 15-item history as an adult section, the score range is 5 /C015 for each of the three religious involvement542 19. MEASURES OF RELIGIOSITY
V. VICES AND VIRTUES