Reliability and validity of the cognitive strategy scale

Abstract

The purposes of the present study were to develop a Cognitive Strategy Scale, and to investigate its reliability and validity. In Study 1, undergraduates (N = 352) completed the Cognitive Strategy Scale. A factor analysis revealed that the 20 items of the Cognitive Strategy Scale comprised 4 factors: Failure expectation and reflection, Past experience, Success reflection, and Plan reflection. In Study 2, undergraduates (N = 126) completed the Cognitive Strategy Scale and 2 related scales: a cognitive reflection-impulsivity scale and an optimismpessimism scale. The Cognitive Strategy Scale was shown to have high internal consistency and test-retest reliability; the results also suggested that the Cognitive Strategy Scale had high concurrent validity. Study 3 investigated the applicability of the Cognitive Strategy Scale. The responses of 206 undergraduates on the Cognitive Strategy Scale indicated "defensive pessimism", "real pessimism", "real optimism", and "low meta-cognition". The features of each group were the same as had been found in previous research. These findings suggest that the Cognitive Strategy Scale has good predictive validity when used to prescreen research participants.