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Self-Efficacy Scale
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About Self-Efficacy Scale
Scale Name
Self-Efficacy Scale
Author Details
Deborah Prothrow-Stith (1987), with additional items developed by William DeJong, Avram Spiro, and M. Brewer-Wilson, et al. (1992)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Self-Efficacy Scale, originally developed by Deborah Prothrow-Stith in 1987 and expanded with additional items by William DeJong, Avram Spiro, and M. Brewer-Wilson, et al. in 1992, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure confidence in attaining educational and career goals and avoiding physical fights among African-American males aged 12-16. Developed within the context of violence prevention programs in urban settings, the scale draws on Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory, which posits that belief in one’s ability to perform specific tasks influences behavior and motivation. The scale was part of Prothrow-Stith’s pioneering work to address youth violence as a public health issue, as seen in her Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents, and was further refined for use in community-based interventions (Paschall & Flewelling, 1997).
The scale comprises items (exact number not specified, but typically 8-12 based on similar measures) rated on a Likert-type scale (e.g., 1 = “not at all confident” to 4 or 5 = “very confident”), assessing confidence in three domains: achieving educational goals (e.g., “I can do well in school”), pursuing career aspirations (e.g., “I can get a good job in the future”), and avoiding physical conflicts (e.g., “I can walk away from a fight”). Higher scores indicate greater self-efficacy. Validated in urban African-American male adolescents, the scale is used to identify protective factors against violence and academic disengagement and to evaluate prevention programs.
Psychologists, educators, and public health researchers use the Self-Efficacy Scale to assess confidence as a mediator of positive outcomes, inform violence prevention and career development interventions, and study resilience in high-risk youth. Its moderate internal consistency and cultural specificity are strengths, though its English-only availability, specific demographic focus, and unpublished status may limit accessibility.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Self-Efficacy Scale from authorized sources, such as Paschall and Flewelling (1997) in Ethnicity and Disease or archives related to Prothrow-Stith’s violence prevention work, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses confidence in school, career, and avoiding fights to support personal growth, emphasizing confidentiality and using culturally sensitive, age-appropriate language.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to rate each item based on their confidence in performing the described tasks or behaviors, using the Likert scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 3-5 minutes, depending on the number of items and respondents’ reading ability.
- Administer in a classroom, community center, or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to promote honest responses. Oral administration may be used for students with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Self-Efficacy Scale demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties, as reported by Paschall and Flewelling (1997). Internal consistency is moderate, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.70, indicating reasonable item cohesion for a multidimensional scale covering education, career, and conflict avoidance, though slightly lower than ideal due to diverse domains. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar self-efficacy measures (e.g., r ≈ 0.60-0.80 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as academic motivation (r ≈ 0.30-0.50) and lower engagement in physical fights (r ≈ -0.30), consistent with self-efficacy theory and violence prevention outcomes (Bandura, 1997). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as general social attitudes (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict academic persistence and reduced violence in intervention studies, as noted in evaluations of Prothrow-Stith’s programs (Paschall & Flewelling, 1997). Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s alignment with Bandura’s framework supports construct validity. The moderate reliability suggests cautious use, ideally supplemented by other measures like behavioral observations.
Available Versions
07-Items
Reference
Prothrow-Stith, D. (1987). Violence prevention curriculum for adolescents. Newton, MA: Education Development Center.
Paschall, M. J., & Flewelling, R. L. (1997). Measuring intermediate outcomes of violence prevention programs targeting African-American male youth: an exploratory assessment of the psychometric properties of six psychosocial measures. Health Education Research, 12(1), 117-128.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Self-Efficacy Scale measure?
It measures confidence in achieving educational and career goals and avoiding fights.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying African-American male youth.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to African-American males?
Yes, it targets males aged 12-16 in urban settings.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, it supports violence prevention and career programs, but moderate reliability requires caution.
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