Development and Theoretical-Semantic Validation of the Spiritist Involvement Form (FENE) as an Instrument for Mental Health Assessment

Abstract

To present the development and theoretical-semantic validation of the Spiritist Involvement Form (FENE), a novel instrument designed to assess the level of involvement with Spiritism and its interface with mental health. Method: This methodological study, of an applied nature and mixed-methods approach, was grounded in psychometric criteria across three stages: (1) theoretical construction of the instrument based on Spiritist and scientific literature; (2) development of items organized into three blocks (sociodemographic data, psychological state and mental health care, and Spiritist involvement); and (3) theoretical-semantic validation with experts and lay judges (pilot test). The digital version of the FENE was administered to a purposive sample of 50 participants for semantic evaluation and calculation of the Spiritist Involvement Level (SIL) score. Results: Expert evaluation demonstrated high agreement regarding clarity (92.5%), relevance (92.5%), and doctrinal pertinence (97.5%) of the items. Testing with lay judges indicated high semantic acceptance (>90% for clarity, comprehension, and relevance). The stratification logic of weights and values enabled the construction of the Spiritist Involvement Level (SIL), ranging from 3 to 77 points. Pilot test results demonstrated the usefulness of the score in discriminating different gradients of involvement, from incipient affiliation to deep engagement, including institutional, doctrinal, and subjective practices. Conclusion: The FENE demonstrates conceptual coherence, accessible language, and cultural adequacy to Spiritism, addressing a methodological gap in relation to generalist spirituality instruments. It shows potential for application in clinical, psychosocial, epidemiological, and academic contexts, particularly at the interface with mental health. Future studies should advance psychometric validation, seeking reliability and stronger validity evidence, as well as exploring its applicability in broader and more heterogeneous populations.