Spiritual Transcendence Scale – Short Form (STS-R)
Measures an individual's capacity to stand outside of their immediate sense of time and place to view life from a larger, more objective perspective.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Spiritual Transcendence Scale – Short Form (STS-R) was developed by Ralph L. Piedmont, Ph.D. (1999). It is designed to measure Spiritual Transcendence. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 9 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Prayer Fulfillment, Universality, Connectedness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer Fulfillment | 1,4,8 | 3 |
| Universality | 6,7,9 | 3 |
| Connectedness | 2,3,5 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 5 = Strongly Agree, 4 = Agree, 3 = Neutral, 2 = Disagree, 1 = Strongly Disagree.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 9 to 45. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Spiritual Transcendence (more focused on the tangible realities of daily living): 9 – 22
- Average Spiritual Transcendence (balanced perspective between broader issues and immediate needs): 23 – 39
- High Spiritual Transcendence (strong orientation towards larger values and meanings): 40 – 45
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.