Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People—Measurement Model

Abstract

The Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People–Measurement Model was developed by Oinonen, Seppälä, and Paloniemi (2024) to empirically investigate the relationship between Action Competence (AC) and observable Sustainability Action (SA) among Finnish youth. This instrument targets individuals aged 15 to 29 years. The items utilized in the scale were adapted from existing research, rigorously translated into Finnish, and subsequently administered within the Finnish population to establish a robust measurement model for these constructs in an environmental education context.

Keywords

Action Competence, Confidence in One’s Own Influence, Knowledge of Action Possibilities, Sustainability Action, Sustainability Behaviors, Willingness to Act, Youth Attitudes, Finland, Environmental Education.

Authors

Iikka Oinonen, Tuija Seppälä, Riikka Paloniemi.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the measurement model is to provide a standardized tool for researchers and educators to comprehensively evaluate the level of Action Competence and engagement in concrete Sustainability Action among young adults. The scale aims to move beyond simple knowledge assessment to capture motivational and behavioral aspects critical for addressing environmental challenges.

Specifically, the instrument is designed to test how various psychological components of action competence—such as perceived knowledge and willingness—predict actual sustainable behaviors and actions taken by young people in both personal and societal contexts.

Construct

The scale measures two overarching psychological constructs: Action Competence and Sustainability Action. Action Competence, often conceptualized in environmental education research, refers to an individual’s readiness and ability to participate in democratic processes and behaviors aimed at achieving Sustainable Development. This composite construct is broken down into three specific subscales.

The three components of Action Competence include Knowledge of Action Possibilities, which assesses awareness of effective methods for promoting sustainability; Willingness to Act, which measures motivation and desire to engage in sustainable efforts; and Confidence in One’s Own Influence, which reflects the belief in one’s capacity to make a meaningful difference at local and global levels. The scale also directly measures Sustainability Actions (societal participation) and Sustainability Behaviors (everyday lifestyle choices).

Validity

The original publication establishing this measurement model did not explicitly report traditional forms of validity, such as criterion or construct validity, within the provided summary data. However, the development process involved deriving items from prior established research and translating them carefully, suggesting a foundation in existing theoretical models of environmental engagement.

Further psychometric studies would be necessary to establish the external and internal validity of the scale, particularly concerning its predictive power regarding long-term engagement in sustainability efforts outside the initial Finnish sample population.

Reliability

The reliability of the measurement model was assessed using Omega coefficients, a robust measure of internal consistency often preferred over traditional Cronbach’s Alpha, especially in multi-factor scales. The internal consistency estimates across the various subscales demonstrated high reliability.

Reported Omega reliability coefficients ranged from .756 to .964. these values indicate that the items within each distinct construct—Knowledge of Action Possibilities, Willingness to Act, Confidence in One’s Own Influence, Sustainability Actions, and Sustainability Behaviors—are highly consistent and reliably measure their intended underlying latent variables.

Factor Analysis

The measurement model is structured around five distinct factors (or subscales) that operationalize the two primary constructs (Action Competence and Sustainability Action). These factors are: Knowledge of Action Possibilities, Willingness to Act, and Confidence in One’s Own Influence (which together form Action Competence); and the two behavioral outcomes: Sustainability Actions (focused on socio-political engagement) and Sustainability Behaviors (focused on personal lifestyle choices).

The successful establishment of these separate factors, as implied by the reliable internal consistency measures for each subscale, suggests that the model effectively differentiates between the cognitive, motivational, and behavioral dimensions of youth engagement in environmental issues.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The instrument utilizes two distinct 5-point Likert-type scales. The first section (Self-Perceived Action Competence) uses a standard agreement scale (1 – Strongly disagree to 5 – Strongly agree). The subsequent sections (Sustainability Actions and Behaviors) use a frequency scale (0 – Never to 4 – Very frequently), assessing actions taken in the last six months.

Language Available: Finnish (Original Translation); English (Source Item Language).

Population Group: Young People.

Age Group: Adolescence (15–17); Adulthood (18+); Young Adulthood (18–29).

Population Details: Respondents were young people located in Finland, spanning the age range of 15–29 years.

Test Methodology: Self-report inventory administered via questionnaire format.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Corresponding author)

Correspondence Address: Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), Societal Change Unit, Latokartanonkaari 11, Helsinki, Finland, FI-00790.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and published in 2024. Information regarding specific usage fees or formal copyright permissions for widespread application beyond academic research must be obtained directly from the authors or the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke).

No file containing the instrument is currently available for public download in PDF or other formats based on the source data.

Reference’s

Oinonen, I., Seppälä, T., & Paloniemi, R. (2024). How does action competence explain young people’s sustainability action? Environmental Education Research, 30(4), 499–518. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2241675

Items of the Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People–Measurement Model

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

This document outlines the measurement model for assessing action competence and sustainability actions among young people. It includes scales for self-perceived action competence for sustainability, sustainability actions, and sustainability behaviors.

I. Self-Perceived Action Competence for Sustainability (Olsson et al., 2020)

This scale uses a fully labeled 5-point Likert response format:

• 1 – Strongly disagree

• 2 – Disagree

• 3 – Neither agree nor disagree

• 4 – Agree

• 5 – Strongly agree

A. Knowledge of Action Possibilities (KAP)

B. Willingness to Act (WTA)

C. Confidence in One’s Own Influence (COI)

II. Sustainability Actions

This scale assesses the frequency of actions performed in the last six months using a 5-point scale:

• 0 – Never

• 1 – Rarely

• 2 – Sometimes

• 3 – Frequently

• 4 – Very frequently

III. Sustainability Behaviors

This scale assesses the frequency of behaviors performed in the last six months using a 5-point scale:

• 0 – Never

• 1 – Rarely

• 2 – Sometimes

• 3 – Frequently

• 4 – Very frequently

Note: The scales provided here can be used to assess the action competence and sustainability actions of young people, providing valuable insights into their engagement with sustainability issues. Each scale has a distinct focus, ranging from knowledge and willingness to act, to concrete actions and everyday behaviors. The Finnish translations ensure the applicability of the scales in a Finnish context. Remember that these scales are designed to measure the frequency of the listed actions and behaviors within the last six months.