Structural analysis of the Ryff's psychological well-being scale among Mexican college students

Aims: This paper aimed to analyze the internal structure of the Spanish version of the Ryff's psychological wellbeing scale (PWBS-E) among college students (n = 1700, 54.75% females, M-age = 19.23) who attend a public institution located in Veracruz, Mexico. Method: The internal structure of the PWBS-E was assessed using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), while the reliability of the construct was estimated with the u coefficient and the reliability of the scores, with the alpha coefficient. Results: suggested that a short and unidimensional structure (19 items) provides greater empirical support. In addition, a method factor associated with inverted items in multidimensional models was evidenced. Regarding the reliability, acceptable indicators were found in both levels (construct and scores). Conclusions: This paper addresses both the findings and practical implications of the short version of the PWBS-E among college students.