Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI): A scale for measuring beliefs about savouring

TLDR

Beliefs about the capacity to savour positive outcomes are largely independent of beliefs about coping with negative emotions. The study introduces the Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI) to measure individuals’ beliefs about savoring positive experiences. The authors validated the SBI across six studies, prospectively measuring college students’ beliefs and later their savoring behaviors during a Christmas vacation, and cross‑validating it in older adults, assessing anticipation, present enjoyment, and reminiscence of positive events. SBI scores positively correlate with affect intensity, extraversion, optimism, internal locus of control, self‑control behaviors, life satisfaction, value fulfillment, self‑esteem, and happiness, negatively with neuroticism, guilt, anhedonia, hopelessness, depression, and unhappy affect, and predict savoring behaviors and affects more strongly than other subscales, confirming its validity and reliability.

Abstract

Background : Research has shown that beliefs about one's capacity to savour positive outcomes, a form of perceived control over positive emotions, are largely independent of beliefs about coping, a form of perceived control over negative emotions. Aim : To describe a new measure of savouring beliefs, the Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI). Method : Six studies validating the SBI that is designed to assess individuals' perceptions of their ability to derive pleasure through anticipating upcoming positive events, savouring positive moments, and reminiscing about past positive experiences. Results : SBI scores were found to be: (a) positively correlated with affect intensity, extraversion, optimism, internal locus of control, reported self-control behaviours, life satisfaction, value fulfilment, self-esteem, and intensity and frequency of happiness; (b) negatively correlated with neuroticism, guilt, physical and social anhedonia, hopelessness, depression, and the frequency of unhappy and neutral affect; and (c) uncorrelated with socially desirable responding. SBI was validated prospectively by first measuring college students' savouring beliefs and then later assessing their behaviours and affects in looking forward to, enjoying the actual experience of, and looking back on their Christmas vacation. Within each of the three time frames, the relevant SBI subscale generally predicted behaviours and affects more strongly than did the subscales associated with the other two temporal orientations. Finally, SBI was cross-validated in a sample of older adults. Conclusion : These results provide strong evidence that the SBI is a valid and reliable measure of individuals' beliefs about their capacity to savour positive experiences through anticipation, present enjoyment, and reminiscence.