Development of an Intervention Behavior Intention Scale: Conflicts Among Friends

Abstract

In the present study, a scale was developed to measure "intervention behavior intention", and the reliability and validity of the scale were examined. Fifth and sixth grade pupils (N＝202) completed a questionnaire that assessed "intervention behavior intention", prosocial behavior, prosocial goals, self-oriented emotional reactivity, and emotional susceptibility. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the "intervention behavior intention" scale was composed of 21 items with a 4-factor model: assistance, bystander, nonintervention, and "intervention intention". The internal consistency of the scale was examined with Cronbach's α; it had sufficient internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and corresponded to external criteria such as previously developed scales. The girls' scores on the new scale were higher than the boys' scores. The discussion dealt with the availability of the scale for future research on "intervention behavior" in elementary school pupils.