The present study investigated the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the Skills Confidence Inventory (SCI; Betz, Borgen, & Harmon, 1996), a measure of self-efficacy expectations with respect to the six Holland (1985a) themes. In a sample of 113 college students, 67 men and 46 women, test-retest reliability over a 3-week interval ranged from .83 (Realistic confidence) to .87 (Social confidence). In a sample of 345 students, 164 men and 181 women, evidence for the construct validity of the SCI was found. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis suggested a fair fit of the data to the six-factor structure of Holland's theory.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American College Testing. (1997). User handbook for the ACT Assessment. Iowa City, IA: Author.
2.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychology Review, 84, 191-215.
3.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Betz, N.E., & Hackett, G. (1981). The relationship of career-related self-efficacy expectations to perceived career options in college women and men. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 399-410.
6.
Betz, N.E., & Hackett, G. (1983). Applications of self-efficacy theory to understanding career choice behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 23, 329-345.
7.
Betz, N.E., Harmon, L., & Borgen, F. (1996). The relationships of self-efficacy for the Holland themes to gender, occupational group membership, and vocational interests . Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43, 90-98.
8.
Betz, N.E., & Luzzo, D. (1996). Career assessment and the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 4, 313-328.
9.
Browne, M.W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In D. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 86-110). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
10.
Browne, M.W., & Mels, G. (1990). RAMONA PC user's guide. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology .
11.
Campbell, D.P. (1992). Campbell Interest and Skill Survey. Minneapolis, MN: National Computer Systems.
12.
Glass, G., & Hopkins, K. (1984). Statistical methods in education and psychology (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
13.
Hackett, G. (1985). The role of mathematics self-efficacy in the choice of math-related majors of college women and men: A path model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 47-56.
14.
Hackett, G., & Lent, R.W. (1992). Theoretical advances and current inquiry in counseling psychology. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (2nd ed., pp. 419-452). New York: Wiley.
15.
Harmon, L., Borgen, F., Berreth, J.M., King, J.C., Schauer, D., and Ward, C.M. (1996). The Skills Confidence Inventory: A measure of self-efficacy. Journal of Career Assessment, 4, 457-477.
Lapan, R.T., Boggs, K.R., & Morrill, W.H. (1989). Self-efficacy as a mediator of investigative and realistic general occupational themes on the Strong Interest Inventory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 36, 176-182.
20.
Layton, P.L. (1984). Self-efficacy, locus of control, career salience, and women's career choice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
21.
Lenox, R., & Subich, L. (1994). The relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and inventoried vocational interests. Career Development Quarterly , 42, 302-313.
22.
Lent, R., Lopez, F., & Bieschke, K. (1991). Mathematics self-efficacy: Sources and relation to science-based career choice. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 38, 424-430.
23.
Lent, R.W., Brown, S.D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79-122.
24.
Lent, R.W., & Hackett, G. (1987). Career self-efficacy: Empirical status and future directions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 30, 347-382.
25.
Multon, K.D., Brown, S.D., & Lent, R.W. (1991). Relation of self-efficacy beliefs to academic outcomes: A metaanalytic investigation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 30-38.
26.
Osipow, S.H., Temple, R.D., & Rooney, R.A. (1993). The Short Form of the Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 1, 13-20.
27.
Rooney, R.A. (1991). The relationship of task-specific occupational self-efficacy and career interests in college women and men. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University.
28.
Swanson, J.L. (1993). Integrated assessment of vocational interests and self-rated skills and abilities. Journal of Career Assessment , 1, 50-65.
29.
Taylor, K.M., & Popma, J. (1990). Construct validity of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale and the relationship of CDMSE to vocational indecision . Journal of Vocational Behavior, 37, 17-31.
30.
Zilber, S.M. (1988). The effects of sex, task performance, and attributional styles on task and career self-efficacy expectations. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University.
