The psychologically rich life questionnaire: Italian validation and exploration of its relationships with mindfulness, self-compassion, and cognitive fusion within the health psychology framework

Introduction Based on the theoretical framework that a fulfilling life encompasses happiness, meaning, and psychological richness, this study introduces the Italian translation of the Psychologically Rich Life Questionnaire (PRLQ-I), exploring its connection with mindfulness, self-compassion, cognitive fusion, and anxiety, positing psychological richness as a critical, yet distinct, component of well-being. Psychological richness, characterized by diverse and interesting experiences, complements the hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions of well-being, offering a broader perspective on what constitutes a meaningful life.Methods After a subsequent back translation procedure, the resulting questionnaire version was checked for the comprehensibility of the items. Then, the PRLQ-I's reliability and single-factor structure were evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in a large sample (N = 418) of the Italian population, as well as convergent and discriminant validity.Results The exploratory factor analysis confirmed the original PRLQ structure, indicating one dimension, namely psychological richness, and the excellent internal consistency of the questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit of the model for the one-factor structure. We then showed that psychological richness is positively associated with mindfulness and self-compassion, confirming that psychological richness is related to other happiness constructs but appears to be distinct from them. Moreover, psychological richness is inversely related to anxiety and cognitive fusion.Discussion These results demonstrate the optimal reliability of the scale, even in its Italian version. They moreover provide suggestions for incorporating these related dimensions into programs designed to promote psychological richness, confirming its role in enhancing psychological well-being.