The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children

TLDR

Weak correlations between children’s and teachers’ judgments are attributed to young children’s tendency to conflate the desire for competence or acceptance with actual reality. The study introduces a new pictorial scale extending the Perceived Competence Scale for Children to assess perceived competence and social acceptance in young children. The instrument comprises two versions—one for preschoolers and kindergartners and another for first‑ and second‑graders—each measuring four domains: cognitive competence, physical competence, peer acceptance, and maternal acceptance. Factor analysis identified two factors—general competence (cognitive and physical) and social acceptance (peer and maternal)—with acceptable psychometric properties, and the scale is recommended to be used as two separate constructs rather than a general self‑concept measure.

Abstract

A new pictorial scale of perceived competence and social acceptance for young children, a downward extension of the Perceived Competence Scale for Children, is described. There are 2 versions of this instrument, 1 for preschoolers and kindergartners and a second for first and second graders, each tapping 4 domains: cognitive competence, physical competence, peer acceptance, and maternal acceptance. Factor analyses reveal a 2-factor solution. The first factor, general competence, is defined by the cognitive and physical competence subscales. The second factor, social acceptance, comprises the peer and maternal acceptance subscales. The psychometric properties were found to be acceptable. Weak correlations between children's and teachers' judgments are discussed in terms of the young child's tendency to confuse the wish to be competent or accepted with reality. It is urged that this instrument not be viewed as a general self-concept scale but be treated as a measure of 2 separate constructs, perceived competence and social acceptance.