Abstract
Kaufman and associates introduced the Light Triad Scale (LTS) in 2019 to measure positive personality characteristics such as Humanism, Kantianism, and Faith in Humanity. While the scale has been validated in several international settings, its applicability within the Indian context had not been clearly established. This study therefore set out to examine the reliability and validity of the LTS among secondary school students in West Bengal. The original 12-item English version of the scale was administered to a randomly selected sample of 400 students aged between 14 and 18 years. The psychometric properties of the scale were assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) conducted through SPSS and AMOS. The results largely confirmed the original three-factor structure, with only minor regional variations observed. The scale showed high internal consistency, reflected by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.855. In addition, the CFA indicated an excellent model fit (CMIN/DF = 1.215, CFI = 0.989, SRMR = 0.049, RMSEA = 0.033, PClose = 0.845). Taken together, these findings indicate that the LTS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing positive personality traits among Indian adolescents. The study also underscores the need to establish cultural validity when applying psychological instruments across diverse populations to ensure their meaningful and appropriate use.
Keywords: Faith in Humanity, Humanism, Kantianism, Psychometrics.