Measuring Adolescent Self-Concept: Factorial Validity and Equivalency of the SDQ III Across Gender

Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses were used to investigate the factorial validity of the Self Description Questionnaire III (SDQ III) subscales measuring general, school, English, and mathematics self-concepts for a sample of 991 (455 males, 446 females) grades 11 and 12 students. EFA was used to to examine the initial factor structure, and CFA, to validate and test the invariance of this structure across gender -- three incrementally powerful tests of factorial validity. The EFA results yielded a remarkably well-defined 4-factor structure that was validated by the CFA analyses. Tests of invariance demonstrated equivalence for all but two item-pair measurements of general self-concept. Overall, in light of the stringency of LISREL CFA procedures, the SDQ III demonstrated exceptionally superior psychometric properties.