The Adaptation Of Paranormal Beliefs Scale In Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to adapt the Revised Parauormal Belief Scale (RPBS) using local

sample. It is observed that previous researches carried out in Nigeria are done using RPBS

(Tobacyk, 1988), without adapting to the Nigeriau context. Accordingly, it is importaut to adapt

the RPBS to local context by obtaining its factor strncture, reliability aud validity. Adopting the

survey design, 400 participants were recrnited using the convenient sampling method from the

population of Federal University Oye-Ekiti staffs aud students. Data were collected by means of

self-report instrnments consisting of the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (Tobacyk, 1988), Big-

5 Personality Scale (Beatrice & Oliver, 2006) and Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (Underwood,

2011). Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor

Analysis (CFA) rn1d Pearson Correlation. Five structures of Parauormal Belief Scale were

derived using EFA as against the seven factor structures obtained by Tobacyk (1988). However,

the five structures were reduced to four factors using the CF A. The four factor structures of the

Paranormal Belief Scale yielded convergent validity of .11 rn1d discriminant validity shows that

the scale does not correlate with the Big- 5 Personality Dimensions. The full scale of the four

factors (12 items) Paranormal Belief Scale yielded a reliability coefficient of .77. It was

recommended that the four structure Paranormal Belief Scale should be used among local sample and be subjected to farther validation.

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