Psychometric properties of the Academic Situations Specific Perceived Self-efficacy Scale in a Spanish students sample of Compulsory Secondary Education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Academic Situations Specific Perceived Self-efficacy Scale in a 656 Spanish sample of Compulsory Secondary Education students, aged 12 to 16. Factor analyses revealed that the SPSASS shows a unidimensional structure, with adequate indices of internal consistency (0.89) and test-retest reliability (0.87). Relationships between academic self-efficacy and academic goals, academic self-concept and academic performance supported the construct validity of the scale. Logistic regression models used to predict academic performance using self-efficacy as predictor, and the prediction of self-efficacy using performance as predictor provided empirical support for the self-regulatory functioning of self-efficacy. It was revealed that the probability of showing high self-efficacy increases in 94% for each point increase in grade point average, whereas the probability of academic success increases in 8% when perceived self-efficacy increases.