Predicting Civic Competencies Among East African Youth and Emerging Adults: Report on the Swahili General Self-Efficacy Scale

Laura R. Johnson, Julie S. Johnson-Pynn, Christopher Drescher, Enoch Sackey, Sophia Assenga

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Self-efficacy has been examined around the world, with research indicating its importance for personal and civic development. The General Self-Efficacy Scale has been translated into 33 languages; however, no African language version has been well established, and research on self-efficacy in the region is rare. A measure of self-efficacy in Swahili, a language widely used in East Africa, could spur research. We describe the development of the Swahili General Self-Efficacy Scale and its psychometric properties with a large, diverse group of Tanzanian youth and emerging adults (N = 1,409, ages 13–26). We report psychometrics including internal consistency, factor structure, convergent reliability, and the ability of the measure to predict civic competencies. Our results establish the Swahili General Self-Efficacy Scale as a credible measure with implications for personal and civic development. We suggest areas for investigation and provide the Swahili scale as an impetus for research in the region.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)309-314
Number of pages6
JournalEmerging Adulthood
Volume7
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2019

Keywords

  • East Africa
  • General Self-Efficacy Scale
  • Swahili
  • civic development
  • psychometrics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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