Stanford Purpose Assessment: Psychometric Properties for the Brazilian Context

In this study, we aim to validate the Stanford Purpose Assessment (SPA) within the Brazilian cultural context. With a diverse sample of 669 Brazilians aged 14–71, the research employed Exploratory Factor Analysis to delineate SPA’s structure, revealing a three-factor model: meaningful goal setting, beyond-the-self motivation, and engagement in goal realization. The instrument exhibited strong psychometric properties, with factor loadings spanning .39 to .92 and most reliability indices surpassing the 0.70 threshold, albeit engagement was around 0.5. Purpose dimensions positively correlated with presence of meaning and well-being facets, while inversely relating to depression, anxiety, and stress, underscoring the negative relationship between purpose and mental health challenges. These findings affirm SPA’s applicability across diverse age groups in Brazil, offering valuable insights for advancing purpose-centered research and interventions aimed at fostering positive human development. Additionally, results from Rasch analysis suggest that integrating more challenging items could enhance the instrument’s precision.