Development and validation of a test on Anasakti (non-attachment): an Indian model of well-being

Abstract

Deriving our theoretical model from the Hindu religious text Srimad Bhagvad Gita, gaps in the existing frameworks on the concept of Anasakti (non-attachment) were found. The purpose of the study was to develop and test psychometric properties of a scale based on this Indian concept. We pooled 46 items which included items from existing scales as well as new items. The data were collected from 366 students (236 females and 130 males; mean age = 23.55 years, SD = 8.30 years). The final scale consists of 22 items comprising six subscales: Outcome Vulnerability, Faith in God, Empathy, Frustration Tolerance, Effort Orientation and Emotional Equipoise. The scale is psychometrically robust, explaining 50.79 per cent of variance and also acceptable levels of reliability (α = .70). We tested for convergent validity by correlating the new scale with the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE), the Mental Health Continuum (MHC) and the Flourishing Scale (FS). The new scale demonstrated acceptable convergent validity showing significant positive correlation with SPANE-P, SPANE-B, FS and MHC (.23 < r < .38, p < .01) and a significant negative correlation with SPANE-N (r = −.29, p < .01).

Keywords:

• Anasakti
• positive psychology
• well-being
• Indian psychology
• test construction

Acknowledgements

Mahima Raina: To my father, Dr C.M. Raina, Professor in Astrology, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, especially, among others for his insightful translations and explanation of Sanskrit verses of SrimadBhagvad Gita that helped me grasp the concept.