Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS)

Abstract

The Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS) is a widely utilized psychometric instrument designed to measure an individual’s generalized belief regarding the likelihood of future success across various life domains. Developed by Fibel and Hale, the GESS assesses a stable personality trait related to positive outcome expectations, often conceptualized as a form of generalized self-efficacy or optimism. The scale consists of 30 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale, yielding a total score that reflects overall success expectancy, as well as scores across three distinct subscales: General Efficacy, Long Career Oriented, and Personal Problem Solving. The GESS is a valuable tool in clinical and counseling settings for assessing motivational resources and predicting achievement.

Keywords

Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale, GESS, Expectancy Theory, Self-Efficacy, Success Expectancy, Problem Solving, Career Orientation, Psychometric instrument.

Authors

Bobbi Fibel, W. Daniel Hale.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the GESS is to quantify an individual’s dispositional tendency to anticipate positive outcomes in future life situations. It serves as a measure of generalized optimism and belief in personal effectiveness, intended to capture a broad attitude toward life success rather than domain-specific competence. This generalization makes the GESS useful for predicting proactive behavior, persistence in the face of obstacles, and overall psychological adjustment across diverse settings.

The scale was developed to provide a reliable and valid measure of success beliefs, distinguishing itself from related, but narrower, constructs such as specific self-efficacy measures or locus of control. The GESS aims to assess an individual’s internal cognitive resources that contribute to resilience and motivation, particularly relevant in clinical studies concerning learned helplessness and motivation deficits.

Construct

The GESS measures generalized expectancy for success, defined as a cognitive disposition reflecting the belief that one’s efforts will generally lead to successful results across different life domains. This construct is fundamentally rooted in social learning theory and Expectancy Theory, which posits that behavior is strongly influenced by the expected outcomes of that behavior. High scores indicate a strong belief in future success and positive outcomes, while low scores suggest pessimism and anticipation of failure.

The 30-item scale is empirically structured around three primary factors, reflecting success expectations in distinct spheres of life:

• General Efficacy: Pertains to broad competence, learning new skills, and general life satisfaction and effectiveness.
• Long Career Oriented: Focuses specifically on professional advancement, goal attainment, recognition, and long-term success in one’s chosen field.
• Personal Problem Solving: Relates to competence in managing personal relationships, handling emergencies, and resolving unexpected life issues, often involving interpersonal skills and emotional management.

Validity

Studies examining the validity of the GESS, particularly the revised 1992 version, indicate strong psychometric properties. Construct validity has been demonstrated through significant positive correlations with established measures of optimism, self-esteem, and internal locus of control, confirming that the GESS measures the intended construct of positive generalized expectations. Conversely, appropriate negative correlations have been observed with measures of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.

Furthermore, Criterion validity is supported by the GESS’s ability to predict relevant behavioral outcomes, such as academic persistence, goal achievement, and occupational success. The scale demonstrates utility in distinguishing between clinical and non-clinical samples, suggesting strong utility in assessing psychological adjustment and resilience.

Reliability

The GESS exhibits high levels of internal consistency, which is crucial for a measure of a generalized trait. Early research, including the 1992 revision by Hale, Fiedler, and Cochran, reported excellent Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, typically ranging from 0.88 to 0.93 for the total scale score, indicating strong item homogeneity. The three subscales also maintain satisfactory internal consistency, generally above 0.70.

Test-retest reliability studies have confirmed the stability of the GESS scores over time, consistent with the hypothesis that it measures a stable dispositional trait. Reliability coefficients measured over intervals of several weeks typically exceed 0.75, confirming its robustness for longitudinal research and clinical assessment.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the GESS was established through rigorous factor analytic techniques. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses consistently support a multidimensional structure, specifically identifying the three correlated factors used in scoring: General Efficacy, Long Career Oriented, and Personal Problem Solving. These factors successfully account for a substantial portion of the variance in item responses, validating the theoretical distinction between different domains of success expectancy.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: 30 items utilizing a 5-point Likert scale response format.

Language Available: Primarily English (original development).

Population Group: Adults (General and clinical populations).

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (Typically 16 years and older).

Population Details: Initially validated on university student samples, the GESS has been widely applied across diverse adult populations in academic, clinical, and organizational settings.

Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to rate the probability of 30 future events occurring in their lives. The response options range from 1 (Highly improbable) to 5 (Highly probable). Items marked with an asterisk are reverse scored. Total scores are calculated by summing item scores, with higher scores reflecting greater generalized expectancy for success.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Psychological assessment, Self-Efficacy, Optimism, Generalized Expectancy, Behavioral prediction, Clinical psychology.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source).

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source).

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original version of the GESS was published in 1978 by Fibel and Hale. A revised version with improved psychometric properties was subsequently published in 1992. The scale is widely available in academic literature and clinical resource volumes. Researchers typically require standard academic citation for non-commercial use. For commercial or clinical applications, users should consult the original publishers of the scale or the authors’ respective institutions regarding licensing and fees.

Reference’s

The instrument is documented in major clinical measures compendiums. Key references include:

• Fibel, Bobbi.‚ Hale, W. Daniel. (1978). The Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale: A new measure. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(5), 924-931.
• Hale, W. D.‚ Fiedler, L. R.‚ & Cochran, C. D. (1992). The revised Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale: A validity and reliability study. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 48(4), 517–521.
• Bobbi Fibel and W. Daniel Hale. (1978). Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS). In: Kevin Corcoran and Joel Fischer (eds). Measures for Clinical Practice and Research, Volume 2: Adults, Oxford University Press, 2013, pp. 168-169. This instrument can also be referenced via Google Scholar.

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Items of the Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

In the future I expect that I will…

1. find that people don’t seem to understand what am trying to say.*
2. be discouraged about my ability to gain the respect of others.*
3. be a good parent.
4. Be unable to accomplish my goals.*
5. Have stressful marital relationship.
6. Deal poorly with emergency situations.*
7. Find my efforts to change situations don’t like are ineffective.*
8. Not be very good at learning new skills.*
9. Carry through my responsibilities successfully.
10. Discover that the good in life outweighs the bad.
11. Handle unexpected problems successfully.
12. Get the promotions deserve.
13. Succeed in the projects undertake.
14. Not make any significant contributions to society.*
15. Discover that my life is not getting much better.*
16. Be listened to when speak.
17. Discover that my plans don’t work out too well.
18. Find that no matter how hard try‚ things just don’t turn out the way would like.*
19. Handle myself well in whatever situation I’m in.*
20. Be able to solve my own problems.
21. Succeed at most things try.
22. Be successful in my endeavors in the long run.
23. Be very successful working out my personal life.
24. Experience many failures in my life.*
25. Make good first impression on people meet for the first time.
26. Attain the career goals have set for myself.
27. Have difficulty dealing with my superiors.*
28. Have problems working with others.*
29. Be good judge of what it takes to get ahead.
30. Achieve recognition in my profession.

Scoring Key and Response Format:

Response Scale:

• 1 = Highly improbable
• 2 = Improbable
• 3 = Equally improbable and probable, not sure
• 4 = Probable
• 5 = Highly probable

Subscales and Items:

• General Efficacy: Items 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 21, and 22.
• Long Career Oriented: Items 14, 17, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30.
• Personal Problem Solving: Items 3, 5, 6, 11, 19, 20, 23, and 28.

Note: Items marked with an asterisk (*) are Reverse Scored.