Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale (APOE)

Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale

Description

The Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations (APOE) Scale (Kozlowski & Fouad, 2023) is a 15-item inventory designed to measure college students’ outcome expectations regarding their continued enrollment in college. This scale is rooted in Bandura’s (1986, 1997) theoretical framework of outcome expectations. It comprises two main factors: Anticipated Punishments and Anticipated Rewards, which reflect different valences of outcome expectations. At the item level, the scale incorporates three proposed classes of outcome expectations: physical, social, and self-evaluative, for both factors. Developed by Kozlowski and Fouad (2023) using data from two U.S. university student samples, the scale’s development involved a meticulous process including content review of theoretical work, expert review by two vocational psychologists, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The scale demonstrates evidence of strong internal reliability and convergent validity. Both validation samples provided independent structural support for each factor, suggesting that either or both factors can be utilized. Prior to use, it is recommended to test the structural model of one or both factors.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this measure is to assess both positive and negative outcome expectations held by college students concerning their academic persistence.

Validity

Content Validity: The items for the scale were initially drafted and subsequently reviewed by two vocational psychologists. While there was complete agreement between the experts that the items effectively measured outcome expectations, some disagreement arose concerning the specific class of outcome expectation each item represented. Despite this slight mismatch in expertise, the initial item set was retained. However, additional items were later developed and reviewed to better capture the nuanced distinctions within outcome expectation classes.

Construct Validity: Construct validity was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis, which provided initial support for the scale’s underlying structure.

Convergent and Concurrent Validity: Evidence from a second validation sample of undergraduate students demonstrated good convergent validity with measures of college self-efficacy and goals. Furthermore, for positive outcome expectations specifically, good concurrent validity was found with other college outcome expectations. This collective evidence further supports the validity of both subscales of the APOE.

Reliability

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency of the Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale was assessed using McDonald’s omega (ω). Across two samples of undergraduate students, the McDonald’s omega reliabilities ranged from 0.77 to 0.81 for the Negative APOE subscale and from 0.85 to 0.88 for the Positive APOE subscale, indicating good internal consistency for both.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): An EFA of the initial item pool and subsequent trimming procedure resulted in the retention of 16 items distributed across two factors. This two-factor structure was further supported by a second parallel analysis procedure and favorable model fit statistics.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): The results of a CFA conducted on a two-factor structure indicated that the model was a good fit for the data. One item that exhibited poor loading was subsequently removed, leading to the final 15-item measure.

Instrument

• Test Type: Original

• Format: The instructions provided to respondents are: “Below are some statements that may reflect your expectations of what will happen to you if you choose to remain in college. Please indicate how strongly you agree/disagree with the following set of statements by using the following five-point scale.” The response scale anchors are “Disagree,” “Somewhat Disagree,” “Not Sure,” “Somewhat Agree,” and “Agree.” Each item begins with the stem: “If I decide to stay in college this year…”

• Language Available: English

• Population Group: Human (Male, Female, Transgender)

• Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older), Young Adulthood (18-29 years)

• Population Details: The study population consisted of undergraduate students in the United States, representing various gender identities including Cisgender Women, Cisgender Men, Transgender individuals, Nonbinary individuals, and Genderqueer individuals.

• Test Methodology: Test Validity, Concurrent Validity, Construct Validity, Content Validity, Convergent Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Keywords

Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations, Anticipated Punishments, Anticipated Rewards, College Students, Negative Outcome Expectations, Positive Outcome Expectations, Social Cognitive Career Theory, College Academic Achievement, College Students, Expectations, Persistence, Punishment, Rewards, Social Cognition, Student Attitudes, Psychological Consequence, Psychoeducational Assessment, Student Learning Outcomes.

Authors

• Kozlowski, Michael B.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Psychiatry

  • Email Address: [email protected]

• Fouad, Nadya A.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee

• Correspondence Address:
  Kozlowski, Michael B.: Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Psychiatry, 3270 SW Pavilion Loop, Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239-3098, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: May be used for research and teaching purposes.

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

References

Kozlowski, M. B., & Fouad, N. A. (2023). Development and validation of the Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 31(3), 555–570. doi:10.1177/10690727221126145

Items of the Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale

The Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale consists of 15 items. The specific items are available in Table 3 on page 564 of the source reference:

Kozlowski, M. B., & Fouad, N. A. (2023). Development and validation of the Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 31(3), 555–570. doi:10.1177/10690727221126145

Email: [email protected]

Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations (APOE)

The Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale is designed to measure college students’ outcome expectations related to persisting in their academic pursuits. This instrument is grounded in Bandura’s (1986, 1997) theoretical framework of the construct. The scale is composed of two distinct factors, each representing different types of outcome expectations. These factors and their theorized valence are represented at the item level.

The scale was developed by Kozlowski & Fouad (2023) through a process involving two samples. This process included both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The study also provides evidence of internal reliability and convergent validity for the scale. The validation samples demonstrated that each factor independently supports its own structural model, thereby suggesting the utility of either one or both factors. It is recommended that a structural model of either one or both factors be tested prior to use.

Item Description

Reference

Kindly reference the following article when utilizing the scale:

Kozlowski, M.B. & Fouad, N.A. (2023). Development and validation of the Academic Persistence Outcome Expectations Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 31(3), 555-570.
https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727221126145