Exploratory Analysis of the Structure of Scores from the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the internal structure of scores from Bandura’s Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy (MSPSE). Data were obtained from college freshmen, a population previously untested with MSPSE. Results show that scores from nearly all items aligned almost exclusively with theoretically and empirically derived dimensions. Some differences in empirically derived dimensions occurred as a result of extraction procedures, although the differences observed still provided theoretically interpretable constructs. These results suggest that Bandura’s scales, with slight revisions, show promise for research on self-efficacy with undergraduate college students.