Development of the grit scale for children and adults and its relation to student efficacy, test anxiety, and academic performance

Abstract

We sought to develop a new measure of grit, which would be suitable (i.e. readable) for both schoolchildren and adults. An initial pool of 14 items was administered to a student/community sample in Study 1 and 12 items were selected for the Grit Scale for Children and Adults (GSCA) based on factor loadings. In Study 2, the GSCA was administered to 249 students in grades 3–12. Participants also completed measures of self-efficacy, test anxiety, the Grit-O scale, and standardized tests in ELA, Math and Science. The GSCA demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with efficacy, anxiety, and other measures of grit. Scores on the GSCA predicted achievement on the ELA and Science standardized tests, over and above an existing grit scale (the Grit-O). The study found initial evidence for the psychometric properties of the GSCA and its use in school-children.