Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC)

Abstract

The Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC), developed by McCroskey and McCroskey in 1988, is a widely utilized self-report instrument designed to measure an individual’s subjective assessment of their own communicative abilities. The scale operates on the premise that an individual’s perception of their competence significantly influences their willingness to initiate communication across various settings. The SPCC consists of 12 items that require respondents to rate their perceived competence across four distinct contexts (Public Speaking, Meetings, Small Groups, and Dyads) and three different types of receivers (Stranger, Acquaintance, and Friend). The resulting scores provide detailed insights into specific communicative strengths and weaknesses, as perceived by the individual.

Keywords

Self-Perceived Communication Competence, SPCC, Communication Apprehension, Self-Efficacy, Communication Competence, Psychometrics, Social Skills.

Authors

James C. McCroskey, L. L. McCroskey

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SPCC is to provide a quantitative measure of an individual’s perceived effectiveness and appropriateness in various communicative situations. Unlike scales that measure objective skills, the SPCC captures the respondent’s internal belief system regarding their capabilities. This perception is crucial in communication theory, as individuals who perceive themselves as highly competent are generally more likely to engage in communication, while those with lower self-perceptions may experience communication apprehension or avoidance. The instrument allows researchers and practitioners to isolate perceived competence based on both the situational context and the relationship with the communication partner.

Construct

The SPCC measures the construct of Self-Perceived Communication Competence, which is defined as an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own ability to effectively engage in communication. This construct is closely related to the concept of communication self-efficacy, reflecting the belief that one can successfully execute the behaviors required to produce desired outcomes in a communicative setting. The scale is structured to capture this perception across two primary dimensions: the context of the interaction (e.g., public vs. group) and the target receiver (e.g., stranger vs. friend).

The construct assumes that perceived competence is multidimensional, acknowledging that an individual may feel highly competent when talking with a friend (Dyad context, Friend receiver) but significantly less competent when presenting a talk to strangers (Public context, Stranger receiver). The overall SPCC score provides a generalized index of perceived competence, which has proven valuable in predicting communication behaviors and adjustment.

Validity

While the initial source content does not explicitly detail comprehensive validity studies (such as convergent or discriminant validity), the instrument is widely recognized within communication psychometrics for its strong face and content validity. The items clearly address various communication contexts and relationship types, covering the theoretical domains intended by the authors.

The inherent multidimensional structure of the scale, which separates competence perceptions across different contexts and receivers, supports its construct validity by demonstrating that perceived competence is not a unitary trait but varies depending on the specific communication scenario.

Reliability

The SPCC generally demonstrates strong internal consistency, particularly for the overall scale score and receiver-based subscores. The reliability is typically assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients, as reported in the original research:

• Total SPCC Score: alpha .92 (Indicating excellent reliability).
• Receiver Subscores: Stranger (alpha .87), Acquaintance (alpha .84), Friend (alpha .78).
• Context Subscores: Public (alpha .72), Meeting (alpha .68), Group (alpha .67), Dyad (alpha .44).

It is important to note the variation in reliability across subscales. While the total score and the receiver-based subscores exhibit high reliability, the context-based subscores, particularly the Dyad subscore (alpha .44), show notably lower internal consistency. Researchers utilizing the Dyad subscore should exercise caution, while the overall SPCC score remains highly reliable for general assessment purposes.

Factor Analysis

Although the original source content does not explicitly present a formal factor analysis table, the scoring structure implies a clear, multi-faceted factor model. The 12 items are designed to load onto distinct factors based on the interaction of context and receiver. The primary structure suggests two major orthogonal dimensions: Context (Public, Meeting, Group, Dyad) and Receiver (Stranger, Acquaintance, Friend). The scoring methodology calculates seven distinct subscores (four context-based and three receiver-based), confirming the scale’s multidimensional nature.

Subsequent studies using factor analysis often confirm the robustness of the three receiver factors (Stranger, Acquaintance, Friend) as these scores exhibit the highest internal consistency and are used to calculate the final total score. This structure reflects the theoretical understanding that communication competence perceptions are strongly modulated by relational uncertainty and relational closeness.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Inventory

Format: The respondent rates their perceived competence for each item on a percentage scale ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 represents “completely incompetent” and 100 represents “competent.”

Language Available: Primarily English, though translations may exist in published literature.

Population Group: General population, frequently used in college and university student samples for communication research.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults.

Population Details: Applicable to anyone capable of self-reflecting on their communication skills across the defined contexts and receivers.

Test Methodology: The scale utilizes a direct estimation method. Scores are calculated by summing the percentages for specific item clusters and then dividing by the number of items in that cluster to obtain subscores. The total SPCC score is derived by averaging the three receiver subscores (Stranger, Acquaintance, and Friend).

Keywords

Communication Skills, Interpersonal Communication, Public Speaking, Self-Efficacy, Dyadic Communication, Group Communication, James C. McCroskey.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Information typically directed toward James C. McCroskey’s academic affiliation at the time of publication or his official website.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The SPCC is generally considered an academic instrument and is often available for non-commercial research use without charge, provided proper attribution is given. The instrument was initially published and validated in 1988.

The instrument can be found online at the author’s academic resource page: http://www.jamescmccroskey.com/measures/communication_competence.htm

Reference’s

The primary validation and publication reference for the SPCC is:

• McCroskey, J. C., & McCroskey, L. L. (1988). Self-report as an approach to measuring communication competence. Communication Research Reports, 5, 108-113.

Items of the Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC)

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

1. Present a talk to a group of strangers.
2. Talk with an acquaintance.
3. Talk in a large meeting of friends.
4. Talk in a small group of strangers.
5. Talk with a friend.
6. Talk in a large meeting of acquaintances.
7. Talk with a stranger.
8. Present a talk to a group of friends.
9. Talk in a small group of acquaintances.
10. Talk in a large meeting of strangers.
11. Talk in a small group of friends.
12. Present a talk to a group of acquaintances.

Scoring Methodology

The scoring procedure involves summing the percentage ratings (0 to 100) for specific items and averaging them to create subscores. The final total SPCC score is an average of the three receiver subscores.

• Public Subscore: Items 1 + 8 + 12; divide by 3.
• Meeting Subscore: Items 3 + 6 + 10; divide by 3.
• Group Subscore: Items 4 + 9 + 11; divide by 3.
• Dyad Subscore: Items 2 + 5 + 7; divide by 3.
• Stranger Subscore: Items 1 + 4 + 7 + 10; divide by 4.
• Acquaintance Subscore: Items 2 + 6 + 9 + 12; divide by 4.
• Friend Subscore: Items 3 + 5 + 8 + 11; divide by 4.

To compute the Total SPCC score, add the subscores for Stranger, Acquaintance, and Friend. Then, divide that total by 3.