Psychometric Validation of the Bengali Version of the Psychological Well-Being (PWB-B) Among Bangladeshi University Students

Abstract

Psychological well-being is a key aspect of positive psychology, reflecting optimal human functioning across self-acceptance, growth, purpose, and relationships. While well recognized, few culturally specific tools exist outside Western, individualistic cultures. This study aimed to translate and test the Bengali version of the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWB-B) among Bangladeshi university students. The instrument was adapted through forward-backward translation. An expert panel review was conducted, and content validity of translated items was evaluated using Content Validity Index (CVI). Two pilot studies were carried out with university students (Pilot Study 1: n = 30; Pilot Study 2: n = 150) to assess internal consistency reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and item analyses. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using data from Pilot Study 2 to evaluate construct validity and explore the dimensional structure through Principal Axis Factoring with Promax rotation. The final 25-item PWB-B demonstrated acceptable internal consistency in both samples (Cronbach’s alpha = .763–.771; standardized alpha = .768–.790). Sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.761) and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity (p < .001) supported the suitability of the data for factor analysis. A seven-factor solution emerged from exploratory factor analysis, accounting for 59.1% of the total variance. Most items showed moderate to high factor loadings; however, several items demonstrated weak or negative correlations and low communalities, suggesting the need for further refinement. The PWB-B demonstrated acceptable reliability and preliminary evidence of construct validity among university students in Bangladesh. While the scale captured several important aspects of psychological well-being, refinement of several items is recommended to improve the measurement model. Future studies using larger and more diverse samples, confirmatory factor analysis, and additional validity testing are recommended. This document presents the formatting instructions for the Proceedings of Conference on Scientific and Academic Research. This document can serve as the base template for a Microsoft Word based typesetting system. The abstract should state briefly the purpose of the research, the approach used, the principal results and major conclusions. The abstract of 200-250 words is required.