Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Rigid and Flexible Persistence Scale in a Brazilian professional sample

Abstract Persistence involves the intention to maintain efforts when faced with obstacles and challenges, in order to achieve a specific goal. The Rigid and Flexible Persistence Scale (RFPS) is a self-report measure that assesses persistence that is theoretically derived from the premises of the Dualistic Model of Passion. The aim of the present research was to adapt the RFPS to Brazilian Portuguese and to estimate its evidence of validity and reliability in the context of work. Participants were 400 professionals, 55.8% women, aged between 18 and 68 years. The results indicate that the RFPS presented validity evidence based on the content. Corresponding to the theoretical expectations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated adequacy of the structure composed of two factors, explaining 75% of the data variance, with good levels of reliability. The RFPS also revealed strong invariance across gender and work conditions (in-person vs remote). Flexible persistence showed positive association with harmonious passion and occupational self-efficacy. Conversely, rigid persistence showed positive association with obsessive passion. It was observed a mediational role of occupational self-efficacy in the relationship between harmonious passion and flexible persistence. Overall, the findings suggest that the RFPS is an adequate measure of persistence in a Brazilian occupational sample.

Haciendo que la vida de la gente merezca ser plenamente vivida: La importancia de la pasión para la Psicología Positiva / Making People's Life Most Worth Living: On the Importance of Passion for Positive Psychology

The purpose of the present paper is to present the Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) and show its importance for positive psychology. Passion is defined as a strong inclination toward a self-defining activity that people like (or love), find important, and in which they invest time and energy. Furthermore, two types of passion (harmonious and obsessive) are proposed. Harmonious passion leads people to choose to engage in the activity that they love. Conversely, obsessive passion creates an internal pressure to engage in the beloved activity. Harmonious passion is hypothesized to lead to more adaptive outcomes than obsessive passion. Results of several studies reveal that passion matters with respect to a number of outcomes deemed important for positive psychology such as flow and positive emotions, psychological well-being, physical health, relationships, and performance. Passion can indeed make people's lives worth living to the extent that it is harmonious in nature.

El objetivo del presente trabajo es presentar el Modelo Dualista de la Pasión (Vallerand et al., 2003) y mostrar su importancia para la psicología positiva. La pasión se define como una fuerte inclinación hacia una actividad que a la gente le gusta (o ama), le parece importante, y en la que invierte tiempo y energía. El modelo plantea la existencia de dos tipos de pasión (armoniosa y obsesiva). La pasión armoniosa conduce a la gente a elegir dedicarse a la actividad que aman. Por el contrario, la pasión obsesiva crea una presión interna para dedicarse a la actividad deseada. Se hipotetiza que la pasión armoniosa conduce a resultados más adaptativos que la pasión obsesiva. Los resultados de diferentes estudios revelan que la pasión es importante en relación a una serie de resultados que se consideran importantes para la Psicología positiva tales como el fluir (flow) y las emociones positivas, el bienestar psicológico, la salud física, las relaciones, y el rendimiento. La pasión realmente puede hacer que la gente tenga vidas que merezcan la pena en la medida en que dicha pasión sea de naturaleza armónica.