Social Problem-Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A): development and preliminary psychometric evaluation

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Adolescent social problem-solving is crucial for development.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the complexity of adolescent social problem-solving.
• A need exists for a comprehensive and psychometrically sound assessment tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A).
• To present the psychometric evaluation of the SPSI-A.
• To provide preliminary validity and reliability data for the SPSI-A.

Main Methods:

• Multiphase development process for the SPSI-A.
• Psychometric evaluation including internal consistency, stability, content, construct, and criterion validity.
• Data collected from freshmen and sophomore high school students.

Main Results:

• The SPSI-A comprises three scales: Automatic Process, Problem Orientation, and Problem-Solving Skills.
• The Problem Orientation Scale has subscales for Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior.
• The Problem-Solving Skills scale includes subscales for Problem Identification, Alternative Generation, Consequence Prediction, and Implementation/Evaluation/Reorganization.
• Preliminary data support the internal consistency, stability, and validity of the SPSI-A.

Conclusions:

• The Social Problem-Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A) is a promising new measure.
• The SPSI-A effectively assesses adolescent social problem-solving skills and motivation.
• Further research is warranted to confirm its utility across diverse adolescent populations.