The 10-item classic measuring a broad, stable sense of personal competence to handle novel and difficult demands.
| Construct measured | Generalized self-efficacy |
|---|---|
| Developed by | Schwarzer & Jerusalem (1995) |
| Original publication | Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user's portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). NFER-Nelson. |
| Number of items | 10 |
| Response format | 4-point scale (1 = Not at all true to 4 = Exactly true) |
Unidimensional — a single generalized self-efficacy factor; the one-factor structure replicates across dozens of countries.
Alphas are commonly reported between .76 and .90 across national samples.
One of the most extensively cross-culturally validated individual-difference measures: configural equivalence across 25+ countries, convergent validity with optimism and self-esteem, negative relations with anxiety and depression, and criterion links to coping and health behavior.
Adults and adolescents in general, clinical, student and employee samples worldwide.
Germany (original German version, 1981; English adaptation 1995). Official translations exist in more than 30 languages via the authors.