Inventory of socially responsible behaviors in chilean university students

Abstract

A new instrument for measuring socially responsible behavior in university students is presented, along with its psychometric properties. We worked with a non-probabilistic sample of 1935 students. A cross-validation procedure was used, by calculating exploratory and confirmatory factor models, identifying a latent structure of five related factors that allowed for satisfactorily explaining the data. The psychometric properties of the scale were further assessed, by evaluating models of invariance by sex and socioeconomic levels. Findings show levels of scalar invariance and differences of latent means in some factors. It was concluded that the inventory presents sufficient evidence of psychometric validity and reliability for its use in university students, allowing even for comparisons across sex and socioeconomic levels. Thus, this study provides a tool for future monitoring and improving the levels of social responsibility of university students. Future studies should incorporate external variables that may deepen the evidence of criterion validity for this instrument.