Development and Preliminary Validation of the Japanese Version of the Existential Gratitude Scale: Evidence from a Post‐Disaster Context in Fukushima

Existential gratitude refers to the capacity to experience gratitude in the midst of adversity, yet no validated measure exists in Japanese. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the Existential Gratitude Scale (EGS‐J). Following established cross‐cultural adaptation procedures, an 8‐item Japanese version was created. Study 1 ( N = 56) examined the factor structure using exploratory factor analysis and provided preliminary evidence of internal consistency and expected correlational patterns. Study 2 ( N = 222) evaluated the scale using confirmatory factor analysis and examined its associations with well‐being, meaning in life, and posttraumatic growth. Results supported a unidimensional structure with good model fit and high internal consistency. Existential gratitude was positively associated with well‐being, meaning in life, and posttraumatic growth. No significant differences were observed between disaster‐affected and control groups. However, exploratory analyses within the disaster‐affected group indicated that relocation and job change were significantly associated with existential gratitude. These findings suggest that the EGS‐J demonstrates acceptable reliability and validity and may serve as a useful tool for examining existential gratitude in the context of adversity.