The Offender Job Search Self-Efficacy Scale: Development and initial validation

Psychol Serv. 2018 Nov;15(4):477-485. doi: 10.1037/ser0000170. Epub 2017 Oct 12.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop the Offender Job Search Self-Efficacy Scale (OFJSSE) for the specific job search needs of the criminal justice population. Participants were 249 male inmates within 2 years of release from a state correctional facility in the southern region of the United States who identified mostly as Caucasian (56.2%), single (62.2%), working-class (45.4%) men with a mean age of 36.27 years (SD = 10.38). Initial validation data are described, including results of an exploratory factor analysis. Results indicated that the OFJSSE presents excellent reliability (α = .95) as well as good convergent and discriminant validity by having a strong, positive correlation, r = .73, p < .01, with another job search scale and having a negative correlation, r = -.19, p = .01, with a scale measuring a different construct (i.e., criminal thinking). Implications of the findings as well as limitations and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Career Choice
  • Criminals / psychology*
  • Employment / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prisoners / psychology*
  • Psychometrics* / instrumentation
  • Psychometrics* / methods
  • Psychometrics* / standards
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Efficacy*
  • Social Desirability
  • Young Adult