General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) – Chen

Abstract

The General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSE), developed by Chen, Gully, and Eden (2001), is an eight-item psychometric instrument designed to measure an individual’s generalized belief in their capacity to successfully execute courses of action required to manage prospective situations. This scale is distinct from domain-specific measures, focusing instead on a broad sense of personal competence and resilience across various tasks and challenges. It provides a concise, reliable, and unidimensional measure of an individual’s trait-like confidence in their ability to meet diverse situational demands, making it highly valuable in organizational psychology and management research.

Keywords

general self-efficacy, NGSE, self-efficacy, organizational behavior, competence, resilience, trait confidence, psychometric scale

Authors

Chen, G., Gully, S. M., Eden, D.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the NGSE is to provide a concise and reliable measure of an individual’s generalized sense of self-efficacy. Unlike scales that assess confidence in specific domains (e.g., academic or physical tasks), the NGSE captures the global expectation that one can cope effectively with novel or challenging demands encountered in life and work settings.

The scale was developed to address limitations in existing measures, particularly the need for a brief instrument with strong psychometric properties suitable for use in organizational settings where time constraints for data collection are common. It serves as a predictor of performance, goal setting, and motivation across different contexts.

Construct

The underlying construct measured is General Self-Efficacy (GSE), defined as a stable, trait-like belief system regarding one’s overall competence. This construct is rooted in Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, but focuses on a generalized rather than task-specific application.

High GSE implies strong confidence in one’s ability to mobilize cognitive resources, effort, and action sequences necessary to meet situational demands. It reflects an enduring personality characteristic that influences how individuals approach problems and persist in the face of obstacles, independent of their specific skill set in a given area.

Validity

The validation study conducted by Chen et al. (2001) established strong evidence for the scale’s validity. Convergent validity was demonstrated through significant positive correlations with other established measures of generalized self-efficacy and related constructs, such as self-esteem, optimism, and proactive personality.

Furthermore, Discriminant validity was confirmed by low correlations with unrelated constructs, ensuring the scale measures self-efficacy uniquely and is not merely a reflection of general mood or social desirability. Predictive validity was also supported, showing that NGSE scores significantly predict future performance and goal attainment in various domains.

Reliability

The NGSE exhibits high levels of internal consistency. Across multiple samples reported in the original publication, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients consistently exceeded the acceptable threshold of 0.80, often ranging between 0.85 and 0.90. This high reliability suggests that the eight items are highly consistent in measuring the same underlying construct.

Test-retest reliability, measuring the stability of the scale over time, has also been established, confirming that the NGSE measures a relatively stable, trait-like characteristic rather than a transient state. These strong reliability figures support its use in both cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs.

Factor Analysis

The scale was rigorously tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis during its development. Results consistently supported a single-factor structure, indicating that the NGSE is unidimensional.

The single-factor model demonstrated excellent fit indices across diverse samples, providing strong statistical evidence that the eight items load onto one primary construct: General Self-Efficacy. This unidimensionality is crucial for researchers, as it simplifies interpretation, allowing for the use of a single total score.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire

Format: 8 items using a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5))

Language Available: Primarily English (Validated translations may exist in subsequent research)

Population Group: General adult population; frequently used with organizational employees and university students

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 16+)

Population Details: Originally validated on diverse samples of working adults and students in the United States.

Test Methodology: Summation or averaging of the eight item scores. Higher scores indicate higher levels of general self-efficacy. There is no reverse scoring required for these items.

Keywords

generalized competence, psychological assessment, confidence, organizational research methods, motivation, performance predictor

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in original source and requires external verification)

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

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was formally validated and published in 2001 in the journal Organizational Research Methods. The scale is generally available for non-commercial academic research use without licensing fees, provided proper citation is given to the original authors and publication.

The original PDF detailing the scale development and validation can be downloaded here: http://www.business.unr.edu/faculty/simmonsb/mgt486/sescaledevelop.pdf

Reference’s

• Chen‚ G; Gully‚ SM; Eden‚ D. 2001. Validation of a new general self-efficacy scale. Organizational Research Methods. 4: 62- 83.

Items of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSE) – Chen

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

1. I will be able to achieve most of the goals that I have set for myself.
2. When facing difficult tasks‚ I am certain that I will accomplish them.
3. In general‚ I think that I can obtain outcomes that are important to me.
4. I believe I can succeed at most any endeavor to which I set my mind.
5. I will be able to successfully overcome many challenges.
6. I am confident that I can perform effectively on many different tasks.
7. Compared to other people‚ I can do most tasks very well.
8. Even when things are tough‚ I can perform quite well.