Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale

Abstract

The Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (CPSS) is a psychological scale developed by Fertman and Primack in 2009. It is designed to measure the perceived competence and confidence, or self-efficacy, of young individuals across three crucial domains of development: academic performance, peer relationships, and the ability to resist substance use. This 20-item instrument is specifically tailored for elementary students and provides distinct subscale scores for Learning Associated Self-Efficacy, Peer-Associated Self-Efficacy, and Drug-Related Self-Efficacy. The scale utilizes a 5-point Likert scale response format, ranging from “Not at all Confident” to “Very Confident,” making it suitable for assessing strengths and potential risk factors in school-aged populations.

Keywords

Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, self-efficacy, elementary students, peer relations, drug resistance, academic confidence, psychological assessment, Fertman and Primack

Authors

Fertman, C. I., Primack, B. A.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale is to provide researchers and practitioners with a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy beliefs in young children. Specifically, it aims to assess a child’s confidence in their ability to successfully execute behaviors related to academic success, maintain positive social interactions with peers, and make health-conscious decisions by resisting negative peer pressure regarding substance use. This assessment tool is vital for identifying areas where children may need interventions or support, particularly in health education and drug prevention programs.

By focusing on perceived self-efficacy—the belief in one’s capacity to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations—the scale offers valuable insight into the psychological resources available to the child. The multi-dimensional structure allows for targeted assessment, enabling educators to develop tailored programs addressing specific confidence deficits, whether they relate to schoolwork organization or social assertiveness.

Construct

The CPSS measures the psychological construct of perceived self-efficacy, as derived from Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. This construct reflects an individual’s judgment of their capabilities to perform specific tasks or achieve certain outcomes. For children, this is operationalized across three distinct domains:

• Learning Associated Self-Efficacy: Measures confidence in academic tasks, such as meeting deadlines, concentrating in class, taking notes, planning, and organizing schoolwork.
• Peer-Associated Self-Efficacy: Measures confidence in social competence, including expressing opinions, standing up for oneself, managing interpersonal conflicts, making friends, and working collaboratively in groups.
• Drug-Related Self-Efficacy: Measures confidence in the ability to resist specific forms of negative peer pressure related to substance use, including cigarettes, alcohol (beer, wine, liquor), and marijuana.

Validity

The development of the Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale included comprehensive efforts focused on establishing its validity. The original study by Fertman and Primack (2009) specifically detailed the scale’s development and validation processes, confirming that the items accurately reflect the intended theoretical domains (learning, peer relations, and drug resistance).

Evidence of construct validity was established through the demonstration that the scale’s structure aligns with the theoretical model of three distinct factors. The systematic item development ensured content validity, confirming that the items comprehensively cover the range of behaviors and challenges faced by elementary students in these critical areas. The validation process affirmed the scale’s utility as a measure for assessing student strengths and risks in preventive education settings.

Reliability

The reliability of the CPSS, particularly its internal consistency, was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients for each of the three subscales. The results indicate high to acceptable internal consistency across all factors, demonstrating that the items within each subscale reliably measure the same underlying construct. The reliability coefficients are as follows:

• Learning Associated Self-Efficacy: 0.83
• Peer-Associated Self-Efficacy: 0.75
• Drug-Related Self-Efficacy (% at risk for drug use): 0.91

These values suggest that the scale is a stable and dependable instrument for assessing self-efficacy in this population, with the Drug-Related subscale showing particularly strong internal consistency.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale was determined through factor analysis, which identified three distinct and theoretically meaningful factors. This structure confirms the multi-dimensional nature of self-efficacy in the context of elementary education and social development. The 20 items are distributed across these three factors as follows:

• Learning Associated Self-Efficacy (Items 1–9): Focuses on academic behaviors and organization.
• Peer-Associated Self-Efficacy (Items 10–17): Focuses on social skills, assertiveness, and maintaining relationships.
• Drug-Related Self-Efficacy (Items 18–20): Focuses on the ability to resist peer pressure regarding substance use.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Psychological Scale

Format: 20 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original publication language).

Population Group: School-aged children; Elementary students.

Age Group: Typically utilized for children in the elementary school age range (approximately 8 to 12 years old).

Population Details: Developed and validated using samples of elementary students to ensure relevance and comprehension of items related to school, peers, and substance resistance.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of confidence for each statement using the following response format: 1 = Not at all Confident, to 5 = Very Confident. Scores are calculated by summing item responses within each of the three identified subscales.

Keywords

Learning Associated Self-Efficacy, Peer-Associated Self-Efficacy, Drug-Related Self-Efficacy, internal consistency, Cronbach’s Alpha, elementary school, student assessment

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Not provided in source content)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Not provided in source content)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Not provided in source content)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and validated in 2009. Information regarding specific permissions and licensing fees should be sought directly from the primary authors, C. I. Fertman and B. A. Primack, or the publisher of the originating journal, the Journal of Drug Education, or the publisher of the handbook, Springer.

Reference’s

• Fertman, C. I., & Primack, B. A. (2009). Elementary student self-efficacy scale development and validation focused on student learning, peer relations, and resisting drug use. Journal of Drug Education, 39(1), 23–38.
• Fertman & Primack, (2009). Child Perceived Self-Effi cacy Scale. In: Simmons C. A., Lehmann P. (eds). Tools for strengths-based assessment and evaluation, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 440-468-469. (2013). Google Scholar.
• The full instrument details, including usage in research, can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3008354/

Items of the Child Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale

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

1. I can finish my homework assignments by deadlines.
2. I can get myself to study when there are other interesting things to do.
3. I can always concentrate on school subjects during class.
4. I can take good notes during class instruction.
5. I can plan my schoolwork for the day.
6. I can organize my schoolwork.
7. I can remember information presented in class and textbooks.
8. I can arrange a place to study without distractions.
9. I can get myself to do school work.
10. I can express my opinions when other classmates disagree with me.
11. I can stand up for myself when I feel I am being treated unfairly.
12. I can get others to stop annoying me or hurting my feelings.
13. I can make and keep friends of the opposite sex.
14. I can make and keep friends of the same sex.
15. I can carry on conversations with others.
16. I can work well in a group.
17. I can get a friend to help me when I have problems getting along with others.
18. I can resist peer pressure to smoke cigarettes.
19. I can resist peer pressure to drink beer, wine, or liquor.
20. I can resist peer pressure to smoke marijuana.