Evaluating dispositional gratitude among Saudi adults: Reliability, factor structure and measurement invariance of the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ6)

Background Empirical evidence underscores gratitude as a protective factor for psychosocial health, highlighting the need for reliable measures. The Gratitude Questionnaire six-item form (GQ6) is widely used to assess dispositional gratitude; its Arabic version is lacking. This study aimed to translate the GQ6 into Arabic and evaluate its psychometric properties, including reliability, factor structure, discriminant validity, and measurement invariance across age and sex groups. Methods A sample of 536 university students ( M _age = 23.01, SD  = 4.84 years; 50% female) completed an online questionnaire containing the GQ6 and other psychological measures. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on half the sample to identify the underlying factor structure, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the model using fit indices including RMSEA, SRMR, CFI, and TLI. Rasch analysis provided detailed item-level insights, and measurement invariance was assessed using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. Results Initial analyses showed low internal consistency for the Arabic GQ6, leading to the exclusion of two reverse-coded items. Subsequent analyses indicated that a one-factor model with four items (GQ4) exhibited good fit (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.89, RMSEA = 0.19, SRMR = 0.03), and good internal consistency (α and ω = 0.85). The GQ4 showed moderate positive correlations with satisfaction with life, self-esteem, and overall well-being ( r  = 0.48, 0.42, and 0.43, p  < .001 respectively). Regarding measurement invariance, MGCFA supported configural and metric invariance across sex and age groups. Furthermore, Rasch analysis showed that the GQ4 Arabic version demonstrates consistent item performance and minimal variation in response patterns. Conclusion Overall, the GQ4 Arabic version is a reliable and valid measure of dispositional gratitude among Arabic-speaking adults.