Concepts and Measures of Autonomy in Positive Psychology

Abstract

Autonomy has been the subject of study in psychology since its foundation as a science. However, with the shift in focus during the 1960s toward positive and health-promoting aspects of human beings—culminating in the emergence of positive psychology in the 1990s - the construct of autonomy gained more specific attention. Despite the substantial progress, recent research has highlighted issues such as using multiple scales to assess the same construct, increased instruments with low reliability, and a reduced capacity for generalization as negative consequences of excessive scale production. This has led to a challenge for new researchers in positive psychology: Which scale should I use to measure autonomy? The purposes of that study were (1) to identify and qualitatively summarize the available forms of autonomy measurement within positive psychology and (2) to evaluate the validation processes of these scales based on the evidence criteria proposed by the American Psychological Association. A narrative literature review followed the procedures outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Ninety-eight scales or subscales were identified and categorized by language, target audience, measurement context, structural validation, and theoretical foundation. The studies primarily reported validation procedures related to internal structure and relationships with other variables, while none addressed the evaluation of consequences. That study advances the field of positive psychology by integrating diverse literature, providing a comprehensive and cohesive overview, and offering a practical tool to assist future researchers in selecting the most appropriate autonomy scale.