Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Version of the Belief into Action Scale
Safa Alakhdhair, Ph.D. Student, Indiana State University
OBJECTIVE: The Belief into Action Scale (BIAC) is comprehensive measure of religious involvement
intended for monotheistic religious traditions. We examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of
the BIAC for administration in Muslim populations.
METHODS: A convenience sample of Arabic-speaking Muslims completed an online survey including
the 10-item Arabic BIAC and other psychosocial and religious measures. Psychometric properties of the BIAC
were examined, including internal reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and
factor analytic validity.
RESULTS: 211 participants completed the BIAC (100% Muslim, average age 31.9, 54% male). The average
score was 47.6 (SD=15.7). Cronbach alpha was 0.80 (95% CI 0.76-0.84) and intra-class correlation coefficient
between two administrations (n=30) was 0.88 (95% CI 0.77-0.94). Convergent validity was demonstrated by
high correlations between the BIAC and existing religiosity scales (r=0.52-0.58); divergent validity by weak
correlations with psychosocial measures (0.09-0.21); construct validity by high correlations between individual
items and total scale score (r’s 0.53-0.72); factor analytic validity by a single factor that explained 81.1% of the
scale’s variance; and predictive validity by small correlations with psychosocial outcomes in expected
directions.
CONCLUSION: The Arabic BIAC is a reliable and valid scale for comprehensively assessing religious
involvement in Muslim Arabic-speaking populations. T
OBJECTIVE: The Belief into Action Scale (BIAC) is comprehensive measure of religious involvement
intended for monotheistic religious traditions. We examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of
the BIAC for administration in Muslim populations.
METHODS: A convenience sample of Arabic-speaking Muslims completed an online survey including
the 10-item Arabic BIAC and other psychosocial and religious measures. Psychometric properties of the BIAC
were examined, including internal reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and
factor analytic validity.
RESULTS: 211 participants completed the BIAC (100% Muslim, average age 31.9, 54% male). The average
score was 47.6 (SD=15.7). Cronbach alpha was 0.80 (95% CI 0.76-0.84) and intra-class correlation coefficient
between two administrations (n=30) was 0.88 (95% CI 0.77-0.94). Convergent validity was demonstrated by
high correlations between the BIAC and existing religiosity scales (r=0.52-0.58); divergent validity by weak
correlations with psychosocial measures (0.09-0.21); construct validity by high correlations between individual
items and total scale score (r’s 0.53-0.72); factor analytic validity by a single factor that explained 81.1% of the
scale’s variance; and predictive validity by small correlations with psychosocial outcomes in expected
directions.
CONCLUSION: The Arabic BIAC is a reliable and valid scale for comprehensively assessing religious
involvement in Muslim Arabic-speaking populations. T
