Validity and measurement invariance of the Unified Multidimensional Calling Scale (UMCS): A three-wave survey study

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 14;13(12):e0209348. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209348. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The accumulation of scientific knowledge on calling is limited by the absence of a common theoretical and measurement framework. Many different models of calling have been proposed, and we do not know how much research results that refer to a specific model are generalizable to different theoretical accounts of calling. In this article, we investigate whether two leading models of calling tackle the same construct. The two models were merged into a comprehensive framework that measures calling across seven facets: Passion, Purposefulness, Sacrifice, Pervasiveness, Prosocial Orientation, Transcendent Summons, and Identity. We then developed the Unified Multidimensional Calling Scale (UMCS) drawing from previous published items. Across two surveys involving college students (N = 5886) and adult employees (N = 205) the UMCS was proved to be valid and reliable. We also observed that the UMCS is invariant across time and calling domains. Finally, we found that facets of calling have very different relationships with outcomes and concurrent measures, suggesting that results obtained with a smaller set of facets are not generalizable to the higher-order construct of calling or to a different model that does not share the same facets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Career Choice*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Psychological*
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Students / psychology
  • Students / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / statistics & numerical data
  • Universities / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (grant n. PRIN 2012 LATR9_N) and by the University of Padova, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (grant n. SID16_01), both awarded to MV. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.