Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People–Measurement Model

Category	Details
Description	The Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People–Measurement Model (Oinonen, Seppälä, & Paloniemi, 2024) was created to study the link between action competence and sustainability actions in Finnish youth aged 15–29. Items were derived from prior research, translated into Finnish, and administered in Finland.
Author	Oinonen, Iikka; Seppälä, Tuija; Paloniemi, Riikka
Purpose	To evaluate action competence and sustainability action among young people.
Construct	Action Competence; Sustainability Action
Instrument Type	Inventory/Questionnaire
Test Type	Original
Test Year	2024
Affiliation	Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
Correspondence Address	Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), Societal Change Unit, Latokartanonkaari 11, Helsinki, Finland, FI-00790, [email protected]
Files	No file is available for download.
Format	Items are rated using 5-point Likert-type scales.
Factors and Subscales	Constructs: Knowledge of Action Possibilities; Willingness to Act; Confidence in One’s Own Influence; Sustainability Actions; Sustainability Behaviors.
Reliability	Internal consistency: Omega reliability coefficients ranged from .756 to .964 among constructs.
Validity	No validity information indicated.
Population Details	Location: Finland; Respondents: Young People; Age Range: 15–29 years.
Age Group	Adulthood (18+); Young Adulthood (18–29).
Keywords	Action Competence; Confidence in One’s Own Influence; Knowledge of Action Possibilities; Sustainability Action; Sustainability Behaviors; Willingness to Act; Youth Attitudes.
Reference	Oinonen, I., Seppälä, T., & Paloniemi, R. (2024). How does action competence explain young people’s sustainability action? Environmental Education Research, 30(4), 499–518. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2241675

Action Competence and Sustainability Action Among Young People: Measurement Model

This document outlines the measurement model for assessing action competence and sustainability actions among young people. It includes scales for self-perceived action competence for sustainability, sustainability actions, and sustainability behaviors.

I. Self-Perceived Action Competence for Sustainability (Olsson et al., 2020)

This scale uses a fully labeled 5-point Likert response format:

• 1 – Strongly disagree

• 2 – Disagree

• 3 – Neither agree nor disagree

• 4 – Agree

• 5 – Strongly agree

A. Knowledge of Action Possibilities (KAP)

B. Willingness to Act (WTA)

C. Confidence in One’s Own Influence (COI)

II. Sustainability Actions

This scale assesses the frequency of actions performed in the last six months using a 5-point scale:

• 0 – Never

• 1 – Rarely

• 2 – Sometimes

• 3 – Frequently

• 4 – Very frequently

III. Sustainability Behaviors

This scale assesses the frequency of behaviors performed in the last six months using a 5-point scale:

• 0 – Never

• 1 – Rarely

• 2 – Sometimes

• 3 – Frequently

• 4 – Very frequently

Note: The scales provided here can be used to assess the action competence and sustainability actions of young people, providing valuable insights into their engagement with sustainability issues. Each scale has a distinct focus, ranging from knowledge and willingness to act, to concrete actions and everyday behaviors. The Finnish translations ensure the applicability of the scales in a Finnish context. Remember that these scales are designed to measure the frequency of the listed actions and behaviors within the last six months.