Prosocial Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-P)

Abstract

The Prosocial Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-P) is a psychological instrument designed to assess the quality of motivation underlying children’s engagement in various prosocial behaviors. Developed for use with children in late elementary and middle school, the SRQ-P is rooted in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and examines the reasons why children perform acts of kindness, fairness, or helpfulness. It utilizes a similar structure to the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A), employing a 4-point Likert scale tailored for younger populations. The scale specifically measures three distinct motivational subscales: external regulation, introjected regulation, and identified regulation.

Due to the nature of prosocial acts being considered behaviors resulting from internalization processes rather than purely spontaneous activities, the SRQ-P does not include a measure of intrinsic motivation, focusing instead on the varying degrees of autonomous versus controlled extrinsic regulation.

Keywords

Prosocial Self-Regulation Questionnaire, SRQ-P, Self-Determination Theory, SDT, prosocial behavior, motivation, children, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, internalization, psychological assessment.

Authors

Richard M. Ryan, John P. Connell

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SRQ-P is to differentiate the motivational reasons underlying children’s engagement in prosocial behaviors. Rather than simply measuring the frequency or intensity of prosocial acts, the questionnaire seeks to determine the degree to which these behaviors are regulated by external pressures (e.g., rewards or punishment) versus internal values (e.g., personal importance or self-esteem).

This scale provides researchers and practitioners with a tool to assess the extent of motivational internalization in young individuals concerning moral and social conduct. Understanding these regulatory styles is crucial for predicting long-term behavioral persistence, psychological well-being, and social adjustment in developmental psychology.

Construct

The SRQ-P is fundamentally based on the concept of internalization and the continuum of extrinsic motivation articulated within Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT posits that extrinsic motivation exists along a continuum ranging from highly controlled (non-autonomous) to highly autonomous (internalized).

The SRQ-P measures three specific forms of extrinsic regulation relevant to prosocial behavior in children:

• External Regulation: Behaviors performed solely to satisfy an external demand or obtain an extrinsic reward (e.g., “So my friends will like me” or “Because I’ll get in trouble”).
• Introjected Regulation: Motivation that involves taking in a regulation but not fully accepting it as one’s own. These behaviors are driven by internal pressures like guilt, shame, or the desire to maintain self-esteem (e.g., “Because I’d feel like a bad person if I didn’t”).
• Identified Regulation: Motivation stemming from consciously valuing a behavioral goal or regulation. The behavior is perceived as personally important (e.g., “Because I think it’s important to keep promises”).

The exclusion of an intrinsic motivation subscale reflects the theoretical stance that prosocial behaviors—which often involve self-restraint or adherence to social norms—are typically outcomes of internalization processes rather than being inherently joyful or naturally satisfying in the way that intrinsically motivated activities are.

Validity

The construct validity of the SRQ framework, including the SRQ-P, is supported by its grounding in the foundational work on Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) and internalization processes developed by Ryan and Connell (1989). The structure of the scale is designed to empirically differentiate the regulatory styles consistent with the SDT continuum, where scores are expected to correlate predictably with other measures of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Higher levels of identified regulation are typically associated with adaptive outcomes, while higher scores on external and introjected regulation are often linked to more controlled, less stable behavioral patterns. The validation of the SRQ-P relies on demonstrating that the subscales load onto distinct factors and that the autonomous regulation subscales (identified) predict positive outcomes better than controlled regulation subscales (external regulation and introjected regulation).

Reliability

Specific reliability coefficients (such as Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency) for the SRQ-P were established during the initial validation phase. While exact figures are not provided in the source description, scales developed within the SRQ family typically demonstrate acceptable to good internal consistency for each subscale (external, introjected, and identified regulation) across studies involving child populations.

Research using the SRQ-P often examines test-retest reliability to confirm the stability of motivational styles over time in elementary and middle school students, supporting its utility for longitudinal studies of social and moral development.

Factor Analysis

The design of the Prosocial Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-P) implies a factor structure that isolates the three primary regulatory styles: external regulation, introjected regulation, and identified regulation. Factor analysis (typically Confirmatory Factor Analysis or Principal Components Analysis) is used to confirm that items intended to measure a specific regulatory style load significantly onto that factor, supporting the theoretical distinctions of the SDT continuum.

The separation of these factors validates the scale’s ability to measure the distinct reasons for acting, moving beyond a simple measure of “how much” prosocial behavior occurs to address “why” it occurs, consistent with the scale’s foundation in the Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) framework.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire

Format: 4-point Likert scale. Responses are structured as: Very True (4), Sort of True (3), Not Very True (2), and Not at All True (1). A higher score indicates a higher level of endorsement of that particular regulatory style.

Language Available: English (Original development language). Translations may exist in subsequent research applications.

Population Group: Children and adolescents.

Age Group: Late elementary school and middle school ages.

Population Details: The scale format (4-point simplified response structure) is specifically adapted for children, contrasting with the 7-point scale typically used in adult versions of SDT questionnaires.

Test Methodology: Respondents are presented with specific prosocial behaviors (e.g., keeping a promise, not hitting someone) and asked to rate how true various regulatory reasons are for them on the 4-point scale.

Keywords

Self-regulation, motivational continuum, extrinsic motivation, prosocial development, moral reasoning, child psychology, Perceived locus of causality, questionnaire, scoring, psychometrics.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Available in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Available in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not Available in source content. (Refer to the Self-Determination Theory website for current contact information).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The SRQ scales, including the SRQ-P, are generally available for non-commercial academic research use via the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) website, often without a fee, though specific permission policies apply. The foundational work defining the structure and application of this scale family was published in 1989.

Test Year: Derived from the 1989 foundational article (Ryan & Connell, 1989).

Reference’s

• Ryan‚ R.M.‚ & Connell‚ J.P. (1989). Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology‚ 57‚ 749-761.

• Further information regarding the scale and Self-Determination Theory is available at: http://selfdeterminationtheory.org

Items of the Prosocial Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-P)

Why I Do Some Behaviors

These questions are about the reasons you do things. Different kids have different reasons. We want to know how true each of these reasons is for you.

Why do you keep a promise to friends?

1. So my friends will like me.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

2. Because I’d feel like a bad person if I didn’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

3. Because my friends will get made at me if I don’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

4. Because I think it’s important to keep promises.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

5. Because I don’t like breaking promises.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

Why do you not make fun of another child for making a mistake?

6. Because if I do‚ I’ll get in trouble.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

7. Because I think it’s important to be nice to others.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

8. Because I’d feel ashamed of myself after I did it.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

9. Because other kids won’t like me if I do that.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

10. Because I don’t like to be mean.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

Why don’t you hit someone when you’re mad at them?

11. Because I’ll get in trouble if I do.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

12. Because I want other kids to like me.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

13. Because I don’t like to hit others.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

14. Because I wouldn’t want to hurt someone.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

15. Because I’d feel bad about myself if I did.

Why do you try to be nice to other kids?

16. Because if I don’t‚ other kids won’t like me.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

17. Because I’ll get in trouble if I don’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

18. Because I think it’s important to be a nice person.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

19. Because I will feel bad about myself if I don’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

20. Because I don’t like being mean.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

Why would you help someone who is in distress?

21. Because I think it’s important to give help when it’s needed.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

22. Because I could get in trouble if I didn’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

23. Because I’d feel bad about myself if I didn’t.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

24. Because I want people to like me.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true

25. Because it is satisfying to help others.

Very true

Not very true

Sort of true

Not at all true