Psychometric properties of the 18-item New Indices of Religious Orientation (NIRO) in an Australian churchgoing Catholic population during COVID-19

As part of a larger study of Australian churchgoing Catholics’ responses to COVID-19 church closures, the New Indices of Religious Orientation (NIRO) 18-item short form was tested on a sample of 1162 participants. The total sample showed relatively low mean NIRO Extrinsic and Quest scores, but a higher NIRO Intrinsic mean score than previous studies. Older participants reported significantly higher Quest scores than younger participants, and males reported significantly lower NIRO Extrinsic scores and significantly higher Quest scores than females. However, the internal reliability for the 18-item NIRO in this population was lower than in previous studies. Factor analysis supported a three-factor solution with only one instance of cross-loading. The results generally support the reliability of the NIRO as a measure of religious orientation in this population, with some reservations.