A Measure of Individual Sense of Competence

A paper-and-pencil instrument to measure an individual's “sense of competence” or his basic psychological feelings of confidence and competence resulting from mastery of his environment is developed in this research. The content validity of the instrument is demonstrated based on the interpretation of four factors extracted from factor analysis and the subsequent analytic oblique solution. The predictive validity of the instrument is strongly supported by two separate studies conducted by two different groups of researchers. Internal reliability is also tested and found to be satisfactory. Finally, the implications of the new instrument for future research, especially in organizational and work settings, are discussed.