Construct validity of self cohesion scale and analysis with a relational model: The mediating role of psychological resilience and family sense of belonging on the influence on self cohesion of the social exclusion of the persons with disabilities

Aim: The study aims to test the psychometric properties of the Self Cohesion Scale in a Turkish sample and to examine the mediation role of psychological resilience and family belonging in the effect of social exclusion on self-cohesion in disabled people. Method: Quantitative methods and techniques were used in the research. SPSS 25.0 package program, AMOS, and LISREL programs were used for data analysis. The research tools consist of a demographic information form, Self Cohesion Scale (SCS), Social Exclusion of the Persons with Disabilities Scale (SESPD), Family Sense of Belonging Scale (FSBS), and Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS). The research was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) sample, which was conducted for the construct validity of the SCS, consisted of 256 university students, and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) sample consisted of 428 university students. The sample selected for the second phase of the research consists of 404 disabled individuals. Gap analysis, correlation, and mediation analysis were performed using the research data. Since the Baron and Kenny technique was used in the mediation analysis, the research hypotheses were tested by creating 3 different models to test the research hypotheses. Results: As a result of EFA, a model with 14 items and 3 factors emerged. In CFA, it was confirmed that the 3-factor model had acceptable fit values. According to the gap analysis findings, there was no significant relationship between the gender of the disabled person, the type of disability, the presence of other disabled people in the family, the number of children, and the scales used. However, the relationship between the marital status, profession, educational status, degree of disability, and age of disabled individuals and some of the used scales was found to be significant. In the correlation analysis, the relationship between SESPD and FSBS, SCS, and PRS was significant, negative, and medium level, and the relationship between FSBS and SCS and PRS was found to be significant, high level, and positive. The relationship between SCS and PRS is significant, high-level, and positive. It was observed that the goodness of fit indices of the research models had an acceptable fit. Conclusion: In conclusion, the hypotheses tested in 3 different models were confirmed. Accordingly, it was seen that psychological resilience and family belonging had a partial mediation role in the effect of the level of social exclusion on self-cohesion in disabled people.