Validation of the Academic Self-Concept Scale in the Spanish University Context

Abstract

The aims of this study were: (i) to provide evidence of reliability and validity regarding the dimensionality of the Spanish version of two correlated subscales measuring Academic Self-Concept (ASC); (ii) to analyze factorial invariance according to sex and the educational level; (iii) to analyze a higher-order model from the two ASC subscales; and (iv) to study the predictive relationship of the ASC to academic engagement. An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was designed in which 681 undergraduate university students (Mage = 24.55; SDage = 5.35) (58% girls) and students of the Master’s in Teacher Education participated. The scale’s psychometric properties were analyzed using different exploratory and confirmatory analyses demonstrating that this instrument with two correlated factors (academic confidence and academic effort) is valid, reliable, and invariant in terms of gender and academic level. Higher-order factors from the two correlated factors showed an excellent goodness-of-fit. A regression model with latent variables was conducted showing a higher and positive prediction of academic self-concept for the two factors of academic engagement (willingness to study and satisfaction with studies). The ASC has shown itself to be a valid and reliable instrument for use with Spanish university students and may be of special interest, both to teachers and to the students themselves, as it allows us to reflect on the importance of developing confidence and effort during the students’ academic lives.