Measuring Effortful Control Using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire-Very Short Form: Modeling Matters

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Effortful control (EC) is a key component of self-regulation in children.
• The Children's Behavior Questionnaire-Very Short Form (CBQ-VSF) is a common tool for assessing EC.
• Understanding the structure and validity of EC measures is crucial for research and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test two alternative factor models (lower-order and hierarchical second-order) of EC using the CBQ-VSF in preschoolers.
• To investigate the convergent and predictive validity of the CBQ-VSF measures of EC.

Main Methods:

• A large sample of 1,007 preschoolers completed the CBQ-VSF.
• Two confirmatory factor models (lower-order and hierarchical second-order) were compared.
• Convergent validity was assessed by correlating EC measures with compliance and observed EC tasks.
• Predictive validity was examined through correlations with child physical aggression.

Main Results:

• The hierarchical second-order factor model provided a better fit to the data than the lower-order model.
• Moderate convergent validity was found for the second-order EC factor, showing correlations with compliance and observed EC tasks.
• EC measures from the CBQ-VSF were negatively correlated with child physical aggression.

Conclusions:

• A hierarchical model best represents effortful control as measured by the CBQ-VSF in preschoolers.
• The CBQ-VSF demonstrates adequate convergent and predictive validity for measuring EC.
• Findings inform the measurement, modeling, and interpretation of effortful control in child development research.