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**Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale: Recent validation research for a service-learning assessment tool ** Nyssa Snow, graduate student, University of Dayton [snownl@muohio.edu]

**Keywords:** Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES), validation research, psychometric research methods, civic-minded graduate construct

**Conference track:** Higher education student outcomes

**Format:** Research/Scholarly paper

**Summary** This presentation provides an overview of theory and research on the self - efficacy construct, reviews 20 years of Community Service Self - Efficacy Scale (CSSES) validation research, highlights new validation research, presents alternate CSSES forms, discusses significance of the research, and provides research recommendations. The Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale, as developed by Roger Reeb (University of Dayton), measures the “individual’s confidence in his or her own ability to make clinically (meaningfully) significant contributions to the community through service” (Reeb et al., 2010, p. 459). This validation research utilized a variety of psychometric research methods (Anastasi & Urbina, 1997) to establish internal consistency, factor structure, sensitivity to change, discriminant validity, convergent validity, and criterion - related validity for the CSSES.

Significant findings will be presented and include the following: First, the community service self - efficacy construct (i.e., perceived ability to “make a difference”) is inherently pertinent to service - learning goals. Second, the CSSES fills a void, since other service - learning measures focus on social responsibility, service motives, perceived community needs, or service attitudes. For instance, despite possessing social responsibility, if the person has serious doubts regarding his or her own capacity to successfully provide services (i.e., low self - efficacy), then the person is unlikely to pursue service opportunities. Third, previous service - learning studies examining self - efficacy used measures with limited (or no) demonstrated psychometric properties. Due to this rationale, accompanied by impressive results of CSSES research, community service self - efficacy is considered a core element of the Civic - Minded Graduate construct (Bringle & Steinberg, 2010). Research recommendations and practical recommendations (based on Bandura's self - efficacy theory) for augmenting the likelihood of enhancing self - efficacy for students in service - learning projects will be provided.

**References** Anastasi, A., & Urbina, S. (1997). //Psychological testing// (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. //Psychological Review, 84//, 191–215.

Bandura, A. (1997). //Self-efficacy: The exercise of control.// New York, NY: Freeman.

Bringle, R. G., & Steinberg, K. (2010). Educating for informed community involvement. //American Journal of Community Psychology, 45,// 428–441.

Reeb, R. N., Folger, S. F., Langsner, S., Ryan, C., & Crouse, J. (2010). Self-efficacy in service-learning community action research: Theory, research, and practice. //American Journal of Community Psychology, 46,// 459–471.

Reeb, R. N., Katsuyama, R. M., Sammon, J. A., & Yoder, D. S. (1998). The Community Self-Efficacy Scale: Evidence of reliability, construct validity, and pragmatic utility. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 5,// 48–57.

Steinberg, K., Hatcher, J. A., & Bringle, R. G. (2011). A north star: Civic-minded graduate. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning//, //18//(1)//,// 19–33.


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