Psychometric properties of the self description questionnaire for preschoolers in a sample of 3- to 5-year-old Turkish children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers into Turkish and to examine the self-concept of Turkish preschoolers based on sex and age. A total of 420 preschoolers participated in the study. The viability of the six-factor solution for the Turkish sample was examined using the first- and second-order confirmatory factor analysis. As hypothesized, two items in the verbal subscale did not work in the Turkish sample. The results demonstrated that the first- and second-order factor models with 36-item and six-factor fit the Turkish sample data well. The observed scores obtained from the six sub-scales have acceptable alpha values except the verbal subscale. No sex differences were observed in self-concept scores of Turkish preschoolers. However, there was a statistically significant age difference on mathematics self-concept scale scores. Further studies should generate substitute items reflecting early literacy skills targeted in the Turkish Preschool Education Program.