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Factorial invariance of the Personal Strengths Inventory-2 for children and adolescents across school level and gender

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Abstract

As the Personal Strengths Inventory (PSI) was developed to assess the strengths of adolescents, the Personal Strengths Inventory-2 (PSI-2) was developed so that children could be assessed as well. The present study examined whether the five-factor structure of the PSI would be demonstrated with the PSI-2 and whether the same measurement structure could be held across school levels and gender. The participants involved 2,325 (1,660 males and 665 females) students from elementary and secondary schools. The findings showed that the five-factor structure of the PSI-2 showed good fit and that there was factorial invariance across gender for boys and girls and partial invariance across school levels for elementary and secondary school students. The results are discussed in light of the call for strengths-based assessments, and further research is suggested.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Education, Singapore and the Media Development Authority for jointly funding the research project (Project #EPI/06AK).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychological Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Albert K. Liau, Dongdong Li & Angeline Khoo

  2. Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Teck Kiang Tan

Authors
  1. Albert K. Liau
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  2. Teck Kiang Tan
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  3. Dongdong Li
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  4. Angeline Khoo
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Correspondence to Albert K. Liau.

Additional information

Dr. Albert Kienfie Liau. Psychological Studies National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616. E-mail: albert.liau@nie.edu.sg; Web site: www.nie.edu.sg

Current themes of research:

Dr. Liau has a keen interest in promoting children’s personal strengths and resilience. His other research interests include the social and emotional aspects of development in children, the social impact of internet use on children and adolescents, and the evaluation of programs in educational and correctional settings.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Gentile, D.A., Choo, H., Liau, A.K., Sim, T., Li, D., Fung, D., & Khoo, A. (2011). Pathological video game use among youth: A two-year longitudinal study. Pediatrics, 127, e319–329. doi:10.1542/peds.2010-1353.

Liau, A.K., Chow, D., Tan, T.K., & Senf, K. (2010). Development and validation of the Personal Strengths Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. doi:10.1177/0734282910365648.

Liau, A.K., Khoo, A., & Ang, P.H. (2008). Parental awareness and monitoring of adolescent internet use. Current Psychology, 27(4), 217–233.

Liau, A. K., Mustapa, K., & Liau, M.T.L. (2007). Reliability and validity of a Malay translation of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales. The Mathematics Educator, 10(2), 71–84.

Liau, A. K., Flannery, D. J., & Quinn-Leering, K. (2004). A comparison of teacher-rated and self-reported threats of interpersonal violence. Journal of Early Adolescence, 24(3), 231–249.

Teck Kiang Tan. Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616. E-mail: teckkiang.tan@nie.edu.sg; Web site: www.nie.edu.sg

Current themes of research:

His research interest includes examining factors affecting student’s performance, school composition, multilevel modeling, longitudinal data analysis, and doubly classified modeling.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Liau, A.K., Chow, D., Tan, T.K., & Senf, K. (2010). Development and validation of the Personal Strengths Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. doi:10.1177/0734282910365648.

Viniti, V., Tan, T.K., Bokhorst-Heng, W.D., Hogan, D., & Kang, T. (2010). Language and social capital in Singapore. In L. Lim, A. Pakir, L. Wee (Eds.), Singapore: Modernity and Management. Hong Kong University Press.

Tan, T.K., Kang, T., Hogan, D. (2009, June). Examining changes in life satisfaction using square tables. Paper presented at the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP) Conference.

Tan, T.K., Kang, T., & Hogan, D. (2009, November). Primary school student’s conceptions of citizenship: A longitudinal analysis using GEE. Paper presented at the International Conference on Primary Education 2009, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.

Liem, A.D., McInerney, D.M., & Tan, T.K. (2008, July). Mapping values and achievement goals using smallest space analysis. Paper presented at the XXIX International Congress of Psychology (ICP), Berlin, Germany.

Dongdong Li. Psychological Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616. E-mail: dongdong.li@nie.edu.sg; Web site: www.nie.edu.sg

Current themes of research:

Her research interest includes effects of digital gaming, children and adolescents’ identity development, and quantitative research methodology.

Dr. Angeline Khoo. Psychological Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616. E-mail: angeline.khoo@nie.edu.sg; Web site: www.nie.edu.sg

Current themes of research:

Dr. Khoo is the principal investigator of two research projects on video gaming and internet safety issues. Her research interests include social identity and self-categorization, delinquency, adolescent sexuality and sexuality education, internet issues, and digital gaming.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Gentile, D.A., Choo, H., Liau, A.K., Sim, T., Li, D., Fung, D., & Khoo, A. (2011). Pathological video game use among youth: A two-year longitudinal study. Pediatrics, 127, e319–329. doi:10.1542/peds.2010-1353.

Choo, H., Gentile, D.A., Sim, T., Li, D., Khoo, A., Liau, A.K. (2010). Pathological video gaming among Singaporean youth. Annals Academy of Medicine Singapore, 39, 822–829.

Gentile, D.A., Anderson, C.A., Yukawa, N., Saleem, M., Lim, K.M., Shibuya, A., Liau, A.K., Khoo, A., Bushman, B.J., Huesmann, L.R., & Sakamoto, A. (2009). The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors: International evidence from correlational, longitudinal, and experimental studies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 752–763.

Liau, A.K., Khoo, A., Ang, P.H. (2008). Parental awareness and monitoring of adolescent internet use. Current Psychology. 27(4), 217–233.

Wang, C.K.J., Khoo, A., Liu, W.C., & Divaharan, S. (2008). Passion and intrinsic motivation in digital gaming. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11(1), 39–45.

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Liau, A.K., Tan, T.K., Li, D. et al. Factorial invariance of the Personal Strengths Inventory-2 for children and adolescents across school level and gender. Eur J Psychol Educ 27, 451–465 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0088-z

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