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Accountability: Construct definition and measurement of a virtue vital to flourishing

Authors :
Charlotte V.O. Witvliet
Sung Joon Jang
Byron R. Johnson
C. Stephen Evans
Jack W. Berry
Joseph Leman
Robert C. Roberts
John Peteet
Andrew B. Torrance
Ashley N. Hayden
Templeton Religion Trust
University of St Andrews. School of Divinity
Source :
The Journal of Positive Psychology. :1-14
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Informa UK Limited, 2022.

Abstract

This work was supported by a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust (TRT0171). Embracing accountability to others for one’s responsibilities within relationships is important for flourishing, yet underexamined. An interdisciplinary team defined the construct of accountability and developed an 11-item single-factor Accountability Scale. In national samples with US census demographic representation (total N = 1257), we conducted psychometric analyses using methods from classical test theory (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses) and item response theory. The Accountability Scale demonstrated internal consistency, construct validity, test-retest reliability, and incremental validity. Accountability correlated positively with relational variables (agreeableness, empathy) responsibility-oriented variables (conscientiousness, self-regulation), virtues (gratitude, forgiveness, limitations-owning humility), relational repair, perceived meaning presence, and flourishing, inversely with symptoms (personality disorders, temper, anxiety, depression), and weakly with searching for meaning and social desirability. Accountability scores superseded demographic variables, conscientiousness, and agreeableness to predict relational repair, perceived presence of meaning in life, and flourishing. We offer the accountability construct and scale to advance human flourishing research and applied work. Publisher PDF

Details

ISSN :
17439779 and 17439760
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Journal of Positive Psychology
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....c0cba557cfbf22bc003078161fd5403e
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2109203