Exploring The Psychometric Properties of a Self-Efficacy Scale For High School Students.

Abstract

In previous studies, researchers have focused on the development and interpretation of measurement tools related to self-efficacy. However, researchers have seldom investigated whether these instruments demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties, including similar item interpretations between subgroups of respondents. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which a self-efficacy measure has a consistent interpretation for two self-reported gender subgroups. The researchers utilized Rasch analysis to explore differences in item difficulty between the subgroups. Results suggested differences in item difficulty ordering for certain self-efficacy items. Implications for research and practice are discussed.