Development and Validation of a Self-control Competency Scale for Late-school-aged Children

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to develop a self-control competency scale for school-aged children and to confirm its reliability and validity. @*Methods@#This study involved methodological research to verify the reliability and validity of a self-control competency scale for school-aged children. Data were collected from 438 students in the fifth and sixth grades of elementary school. @*Results@#The self-control competency scale was composed of 13 items and six subscales (control of relationship with one's teacher, problem-solving, peer empathy, control of relationships with one's peers, impulse control, and emotional control). The internal consistency reliability of the scale was evaluated using Cronbach's ⍺, which was .83 for the entire scale and ranged from .65 to .76 for the subscales. The model of six subscales was validated by CFA (CMIN/df=1.977; p<.001, GFI=.94, SRMR=.050, RMSEA=.065, IFI=.95, TLI=.93, CFI=.95). Concurrent validity was evaluated by comparing this scale to the scale developed by Nam and Ok (2000), and a significant correlation was found (r=.82, p<.001). On this scale, higher scores indicate higher levels of self-control among late-school-aged children. @*Conclusion@#This scale can be used as a valid and reliable instrument for examining self-control competency among late-school-aged children.