What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to create and validate a culturally adapted questionnaire for measuring social self-efficacy among Chinese college students.

June 20, 2026Open Access

Development and validation of the College Students’ Social Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

Key Points

The aim is to create and validate a culturally adapted questionnaire for measuring social self-efficacy among Chinese college students.
Mixed-method design incorporated semi-structured interviews and surveys to determine construct validity.
Item generation, expert review, and various analyses including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted across multiple phases.
Sample sizes included 13 in interviews, 266 in surveys, and 1,011 for confirmatory analysis.
The final questionnaire has 24 items and showed excellent fit in confirmatory factor analysis with CFI=0.96, RMSEA=0.04.
Reliability metrics indicated excellent consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.96).
Significant correlation with existing measures (r = 0.88 with PSSE) and demonstrated incremental validity (Δ R 2 = 0.124).

Abstract

Background Social self-efficacy (SSE) is a key cognitive-motivational construct predicting social adjustment and mental health. However, existing SSE scales were developed in Western individualistic cultures, neglecting collectivistic characteristics (e.g., relational harmony, emotional restraint) and online social contexts. This study developed and validated a culturally adapted multidimensional College Students ‘Social Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (CSSEQ) for Chinese students. Methods A mixed-method, multi-phase design was used. Phase 1 involved semi-structured interviews ( n = 13) and open-ended surveys ( n = 266) to explore the indigenous structure. Phase 2 included item generation, expert review, content validity, item analysis, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 572). Phase 3 performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 1,011), reliability, validity, and common method bias tests. Results The final 24-item CSSEQ exhibited a three-factor correlated model: Social Interaction Competence Confidence, Emotional Regulation Confidence, and Interpersonal Awareness Confidence. CFA showed excellent fit: χ 2 /df = 2.59, RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, SRMR = 0.03. A higher-order model also fit acceptably. Reliability was excellent (Cronbach’s α = 0.96, composite reliability = 0.95, test–retest = 0.96). Convergent validity (AVE 0.50), discriminant validity (HTMT 0.85), criterion validity ( r = 0.88 with PSSE; r = 0.72 with social self-esteem), and incremental validity (Δ R 2 = 0.124) were all supported. Content validity was excellent (I-CVI 0.78). Common method bias was not substantial (Harman’s single-factor: 28.6%). Measurement invariance across gender, grade, and major was supported (ΔCFI ≤ 0.01, ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.015). Conclusion The CSSEQ is a psychometrically rigorous, culturally grounded, and structurally robust instrument for assessing social self-efficacy among Chinese college students. Compared to the Western Perceived Social Self-Efficacy Scale (PSSE), the CSSEQ demonstrated significant incremental validity (Δ R 2 = 0.124) and a correlation of r = 0.88 (below the redundancy threshold of 0.90), indicating that it captures culturally specific components not covered by existing Western measures. It captures culturally specific components missing from Western scales and integrates modern social contexts, making it suitable for cross-cultural research, mental health screening, intervention design, and educational assessment.

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