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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 171 (2015) 1340 1344

ICEEPSY 2014

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Scale Measuring Creative Selfefficacy of Undergraduate Students


Pattarajittra Sangsuka, Thomrat Siriparpb,*
a,b

Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Rd. Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Abstract
This study aimed to explore and validate the factor structure of creative self-efficacy scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was used
to assess the factor structure of the five-factor creative self-efficacy. A total of 105 undergraduate students (34 male and
71female) completed this 25-items creative self-efficacy scale. The results showed that single latent factor structure was
acceptable fitted. The highest and lowest loadings were working style and tolerance of ambiguity, respectively. The reliability
estimate of the five factors (idea generation, concentration, independence, tolerance of ambiguity, and working style) were 0.42,
0.55, 0.71, 0.32 and 0.73. The most important factor was working style followed by independence, concentration, idea generation
and tolerance of ambiguity.

byby
Elsevier
Ltd.Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
2015
2015The
TheAuthors.
Authors,Published
Published
Elsevier
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of ICEEPSY 2014.
Peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of ICEEPSY 2014.
Keywords: confirmatory factor analysis, creative self-efficacy

1. Introduction
Creative self-efficacy is one of the necessary abilities to develop creative skills of students which lead to potential
development that prompts change, further development, and creativity in working procedure and behavior (Choi,
2004; Lee & Kemple, 2014; Mathisen, 2011). It is expanded from Banduras Social Learning Theory about selfefficacy, meaning one having beliefs or being confident in his/her self-justification towards the expression in
different circumstances. It is the reflection of self-confidence in behavior; also, it is the perception of the ability
within oneself to take actions (Bandura, 1986, 1997; Zulkosky, 2009). A person who has high level of belief in

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +6-668-172-0808.


E-mail address: thomrat.s@chula.ac.th

1877-0428 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of ICEEPSY 2014.


doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.251

Pattarajittra Sangsuk and Thomrat Siriparp / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 171 (2015) 1340 1344

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his/her own ability tends to be self-confident and look at troubles and obstacles as kinds of challenges. These people
are likely to set the high goal and endeavor to overcome those challenges by themselves (Michale, Hsu & Fan,
2011).
Tierney and Farmer (2002) has developed the idea of creative self-efficacy and defined it as a degree of personal
belief in ability that produces the creative outcomes or products. Creative self-efficacy is an important aspect which
constructs creativity in working. Employees would be able to achieve their goals and be creative if they believe in
their own efficacy (Bare et al., 2008; Beghetto, 2006; Gong et al., 2009; Tierney & Farmer, 2002). Moreover, for
students, having high degree of belief in self-efficacy in would lead to creativity and creative behavior, and their
behavior could also be predicted (Cheng, Shiu & Chung, 2012; Lizarraga & Closas, 2014; Tan, Li & Rotgans, 2011;
Yu, 2013). In addition, students who have high degree in creative self-efficacy tend to believe in academic ability
and participate in academic activities or join after-school group activities. Additionally, they tend to further their
education in undergraduate level (Beghetto, 2006). Therefore, studying about creative self-efficacy is important and
required for learners development.
Tan, Ho and Young (2007) studied creative self-efficacy of high school students using five-point rating scale
developed from the study of the students learning context. This scale was divided into three aspects, which were
creative self-efficacy in cognitive style, working style and personal trait, and Domain-relevant skill. The result also
show that the model fitted the empirical data, from the mention results, it showed that the three cases of the factor
affected to the students creative self-efficacy competence.
Tan, Li and Rotgans (2011) examined creative self-efficacy measurement in various aspects. The measurement
scale was developed for learners by developing the components used in the measurement which came from the link
between the theories of creativity consisting of idea generation, concentration, working style, independence, and
tolerance of ambiguity (Amabile, 1983, 1997). According to the research, it was found that all five components are
related to creative self-efficacy. It can be used to predict students behavior. Also, the five components have positive
relationship to one another among themselves.
From the study of papers and related research, an interesting topic in education about components of creative selfefficacy was found. From those researches, it was found that most of the studies of creative self-efficacy were in the
forms of antecedents and consequences study while purposive studies of specific attributes or components of being
creative self-efficacy are not widely found. Therefore, researcher is interested in studying components of creative
self-efficacy by validating them according to Tan, Li and Rotgans (2011) five components of creative self-efficacy:
idea generation, concentration, independence, tolerance of ambiguity, and working style. These five components
reflect ones perception, belief, and confidence in contained creative ability, which help increase students creative
ability and creative behavioral actions.
This study was purposed to investigate the construct validity of measurement scale for creative self-efficacy.
Most of the studies of creative self-efficacy in education were conducted with students in high school level
(Beghetto, 2006; Tan, Li & Rotgans, 2011; Tan, Hill & Kikuchi, 2008; Tan, Ho & Young, 2007) and university level
(Lizarraga & Closas, 2014; Yu, 2013; Cheng, Shiu & Chung, 2012), and there has not been any research that clearly
concludes about the measurement of creative self-efficacy components; furthermore, there are various components
to be used. Therefore, researcher has chosen the former research which contains the similar method to this one, that
is, undergraduate students are the subjects. Also, the creative self-efficacy components were selected to be studied
according to Tan, Li and Rotgans (2011) five components, which are, idea generation, concentration, independence,
tolerance of ambiguity, and working style.
2. Method
2.1 Sample
A sample of 105 undergraduate students attending public university in Bangkok, Thailand participated in this
study. A simple random sampling was used to select them.
2.2 Instrument
A self-evaluation questionnaire developed by Tan, Li and Rotgans (2011) to examine students creative thinking
was used. The questionnaire used a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 5 (strongly disagree - strongly agree),
and assessed the following five dimension: Idea generation (5 items), for example, I am an initiative person;

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Pattarajittra Sangsuk and Thomrat Siriparp / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 171 (2015) 1340 1344

Concentration (5 items), for example, I can focus on doing something valuable; Independence (5 items), for
example, I can work on task that allow for my evaluation; Tolerance of ambiguity (4 items), I can delay
judgment when coming up with ideas; Working style (6 items), I am willing to master knowledge I need for
creative task.
3. Results
3.1 Confirmatory Factor Analysis
According to five-factor model of creative self-efficacy, the factor that showed highest level of mean was
working style (mean = 4.07, SD = 0.50), followed by concentration (mean = 4.06, SD = 0.51). The relationship
among factors ranged from 0.12-0.73, with highest correlation between working style and tolerance of ambiguity. In
order to explore and assess the suitability of data, Bartlett's Test of Sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO). The
results indicated that the correlation matrix was not an identity matrix (Chi-Square=1090.73, df=300, p<.05) with
KMO index was 0.85 (see Table 1.1)
Table 1.1 Mean, standard deviations and correlations among variables
Correlation Coefficient
1
2
3
4
1.00
1. Idea generation (IDG)
**
2. Concentration (CON)
0.41
1.00
0.59** 0.60** 1.00
3. Independence (IND)
4. Tolerance of ambiguity (TOA) 0.12** 0.52** 0.44** 1.00
5. Working style (WST)
0.54** 0.65** 0.73** 0.47**
Mean
3.58
4.06
3.81
3.60
SD
0.51
0.51
0.53
0.43
KMO: Measure of Sampling Adequacy=0.85
Bartletts Test of Sphericity: Chi-Square=1090.73 , df=300, p=.00
Factor

1.00
4.07
0.50

The goodness of fit for the model was assessed using a chi-square statistics, CFI, RMSEA, and SRMEA.
Acceptable fit was judged accordingly to the criteria recommended by Hu and Bentler (1999): CFI and TLI values
greater than or equal to .95 and RMSEA and SRMR values less than or equal to .06 and .08, respectively.
As the result for confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the creative self-efficacy factor structure was
showed the acceptable fit to the data (2 = 5.98, df = 4, p = 0.21 , CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.07,
RMR=0.03) (see Table 1.2). All factor loading were statistically significant, with highest loading on working style
( = 0.86), followed by independence ( = 0.84), concentration ( = 0.75), idea generation ( = 0.64), and tolerance
of ambiguity ( = 0.57), respectively. The item reliability also showed significant, ranged from (0.32 to 0.73) (see
Table 1.2 and Fig. 1). The factor score equation was presented follows:
CSE = 0.49 (IDG) + 0.21 (CON) + 0.09 (IND) + 0.20 (TOA) + 0.05 (WKS)
Table1.2 Results of confirmatory factor analysis of a scale measuring creative self-efficacy
Factor

SE

Factor Score
Coefficients

1.Idea generation (IDG)


1.00
0.00 0.64 0.12
2.Concentration (CON)
1.14** 0.20 5.60 0.75 0.12
**
1.36
0.23 6.00 0.84 0.19
3.Independence (IND)
4.Tolerance of ambiguity (TOA) 0.73** 0.16 4.17 0.57 0.12
5.Working style (WST)
1.28** 0.21 6.21 0.86 0.23
2=5.98, df= 4, p= 0.21, CFI= 0.99, TLI= 0.97, RMSEA= 0.07 RMR= 0.03

R2
0.42
0.55
0.71
0.32
0.73

Pattarajittra Sangsuk and Thomrat Siriparp / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 171 (2015) 1340 1344

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Fig.1. (a) Construct validity of creative self-efficacy with unstandardized coefficients ;


(b) Construct validity of creative self-efficacy with standardized coefficients

4. Discussion
The validity testing results for creative self-efficacy measurement model show that the model itself contains
construct validity and is workable as its measurement goes along with empirical data. There is the relationship
among variables. An observable variable which has highest loading is working style, while the lowest is tolerance of
ambiguity. This finding is not relevant to the research of Tan, Li and Rotgans (2011) of which observable variable
having highest loading is idea generation and the lowest is working style. This might be because of the context in
which creative self-efficacy measurement scale was used; that is, the context in this research and another one in Tan,
Li and Rotgans are different. In Tan, Li and Rotgans research, the scale was conducted with high school students
while that of this research was used with undergraduate students, who might have a higher role of perception about
working responsibility or doing activities than high school students.
In addition, the study shows the relationship among creative self-efficacy which affect thinking, motivation, and
decision on surroundings. This concept is relevant to Tan, Ho and Youngs (2007) research which proposed that
creative self-efficacy consists of three patterns which are cognitive style, working style and personal trait, and
Domain-relevant skill. Further studies are necessary to develop additional knowledge into causative model, and
develop strategies or methods to increase creative self-efficacy and working potential for students, teachers, or
managers.
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