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Problematic Factorial Validity of Three Language Versions of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS): Why and What are the Implications?

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Abstract

Self-determination theory is a macrotheory of human motivation that describes fundamental matters such as personality development, goals and aspirations, and self-regulation. Basic psychological needs theory, a subtheory of self-determination theory, postulates that the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are universal and the satisfaction thereof essential for human functioning. Despite the theory’s strong universality claim, almost no studies tested the assumption on the African continent. The present study addressed this by exploring the factorial validity of English, Afrikaans, and Setswana versions of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (N = 1056). After incorporating a negative-worded method effect and removing several problematic items, the fit of the intended three-factor model was good for the Afrikaans version, marginal for the English version, and poor for the Setswana version. The resulting factors’ reliabilities were low. Configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance were established between the English and Afrikaans versions. Although these findings primarily highlighted problems with the particular scale, there is also the possibility that it could have implications for the validity of the universality assumption of basic psychological needs theory and/or assumptions about denotations or manifestations of the main constructs in various cultural contexts. The study indicated the conceptual and linguistic complexities involved in assessment across diverse and multicultural contexts.

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Notes

  1. These scales were retrieved from the Self-Determination Theory website, at http://www.selfdeterminationtheory.org/questionnaires/.

  2. We also investigated the fit of a model with three correlated needs factors and two method factors (one for positive-worded items and one for negative-worded items), where the method factors were set to be uncorrelated with each other and with the needs factors. This model produced several problems which suggested that using both positive-worded and negative-worded method factors would be redundant, and that the negative-worded method factor was more prominent than the positive-worded method factor. In addition, we investigated the fit of a model with three correlated needs factors and a positive-worded method factor, where the method factor was set to be uncorrelated with the needs factors. Although this model resulted in a better fit for the English sample when compared with Model 4, the fit was worse for both the Afrikaans and Setswana samples. Altogether, these findings pointed to the use of a model with a negative-worded method factor (Model 4) rather than using both negative-worded and positive-worded method factors or using only a positive-worded method factor.

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Acknowledgements

The research was financially supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa by funding for the FORT3 research project granted to the second author (Grant Nos. 85649 and 91557), and for a doctoral scholarship granted to the first author (Grant No 84376). Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived are those of the authors and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NRF. Funding was also provided in the form of a doctoral scholarship to the first author by the North-West University, South Africa. The authors wish to thank I. P. Khumalo, L. Ndima and L. Temane for their assistance at different times of the study. The study forms part of the doctoral thesis of the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Africa Unit for Trans-disciplinary Health Research, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa

    Lusilda Schutte & Marié P. Wissing

  2. Unit for Business Mathematics and Informatics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Suria M. Ellis

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  1. Lusilda Schutte
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Correspondence to Lusilda Schutte.

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Schutte, L., Wissing, M.P. & Ellis, S.M. Problematic Factorial Validity of Three Language Versions of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS): Why and What are the Implications?. J Happiness Stud 19, 1175–1194 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9861-2

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