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Love and Hate: The Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Love of Life Scale among Sudanese College Students
Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek, Salaheldin Farah Bakhiet and Huda Fadlallah Ali Mohammad
Published: 2022/12/01
Abstract
Love of life (LOL) is a new sub-component in the construct of subjective well-being. The general aim of the present study was to explore the convergent and divergent validity of the LOL scale using a sample of college students from Sudan (N = 454). The detailed objectives of the present study were: (a) to estimate the descriptive statistics and gender-related differences in LOL, (b) to explore the factorial structure of the LOL scale, (c) to examine LOL’s place in the well-being nexus based on its associations with positive and negative traits, and (d) to explore the predictors of LOL. Results indicated that the mean score of LOL in this sample tends to be low compared to similar samples in other countries. Principal components analysis extracted one major component and a residual one. The LOL scale was associated strongly with optimism, happiness and mental health (positively in both sexes), and to a lesser extent with suicidality, anxiety, and pessimism (negatively in women). Principal components analysis extracted two components which were labeled: “Well-being” and “Negative traits”. The LOL scale loaded highly onto the first component. In regression analysis, predictors of LOL were optimism, happiness, and mental health (R2 = 58%). It was concluded that there is a continuum ranging from loving life to hating life. Convergent and divergent validity of the LOL scale were confirmed with this sample from Sudan. Keywords: Love of life, optimism, happiness, mental health, suicidality, anxiety, pessimism, Sudan.
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