Reliability and Construct Validity of the Dimensions of Self-Concept (Dosc)-Form W Measure for an Air Force Sample

Abstract

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated promising construct validity for each of the six 15-item subscales of the Dimensions of Self-Concept (DOSC)-Form W (Level of Aspiration, Level of Anxiety, Job Interest and Satisfaction, Leadership and Initiative, Identification versus Alienation, and Level of Job Stress) portraying six corresponding constructs of the same name. The sample consisted of 212 Air Force active-duty military personnel (179 males, 33 females) stationed in Hawaii. Coefficient alpha reliability estimates for the six quite homogeneous subscales fell between .87 and .92. The only subscale to exhibit statistically significant correlation coefficients with any one of the five demographic variables was that of Leadership and Initiative, which yielded coefficients of .30, .28, .30, and .23 (all p < .001), respectively, with Level of Formal Education, Number of Years of Military Duty, Age, and Military Rank. A coefficient of -.1 1 for Gender was not statistically significant.