Testing the Validity and Reliability of the Greek Version of General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale

Abstract

Self-efficacy is one of the cornerstone theories in Behavioral Medicine. One relevant self-reported questionnaire is the ‘General Self-efficacy (GSE) Scale’. Although this measure has been tested in many cultures, there might be a total absence of studies testing the validity and reliability of the Greek version over the last 30 years. As such, this study aimed to test and present both outcomes. A convenient sample of 192 Greeks from the general population was recruited through the snowball sampling method. The statistical analysis included Pearson’s r, Cronbach’s alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation and an Eigenvalue of 1.5 and regression analysis to test various types of validity. The results show a Cronbach’s alpha of .909, suggesting an ‘excellent’ level. The inter-item correlation matrix shows values between r= .297 and r= .673, and thus considered satisfying. Item-total statistics suggests that if item 2 is deleted then the Cronbach’s alpha will increase from .909 to .910. However, item 2 was not excluded from the analysis. The EFA illustrates that GSE has only one component. This finding suggests that there is only one factor in the case of the present study, which is probably related to the background theory of general self-efficacy. The linear regression analysis between GSE and resilience was found at high level confirming the background theory. The results of the present study show a high validity and reliability for the Greek version of GSE, while they are consistent to previous studies that tested GSE in other languages and different populations. It is recommended to clinicians and researcher to use in their practice the Greek version of GSE Scale. Keywords: General Self-Efficacy Scale, GSE, Psychometrics, Greece, Positive Psychology, Self-Reported Measures