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Factor Analyzing the College Self-Expression Scale with a Spanish Population

Article in Psychological Reports · June 1988

DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1988.63.2.503

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Vicente E Caballo
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 Psychological Reports, 1988, 6, 5Ú-507 . @ Psychological Reports 1988

EACTOR ANALYZING THE COLLEGE SELF-EXPRESSION SCALE

§íITH A SPANISH POPULATION
VICENTE E. CABALLO AND GUALBERTO BUELA
Colegio [Jnioersitario de ]aén'

Sumrnary.-Responses to the College Self-expression Scale, a self-report measure

of assertion, were factor atalyzed for 843 Spanish undergraduates. Data were gath-
ered from several samples in a similar population (Spanish univetsity students) and
compared with data obtained in American studies. Similarities and differences be-
tween Spanish and American populations are highlighted.

The College Self-expression Scale (Galassi, Delo, Galassi & Bastien,

L974) is a self-report measure frequently used in the assessment of asseftion.
Nevertheless, the original population for which this scale was developed may
differ in response to this measure from populations in other counties of the
§(/estern world. \íe wish to know if the assertiveness constnrct comprises
the same dimensions for Spanish people as it does for American people. This
would be interesting not only for the analysis in depth of the main compo-
nents of assertiveness but also for the development of standard group
training in assertiveness.
No known study has been camied out to factot analyze the College
Self-expression Scale with a Spanish university population. However, the
means and standard deviations of this scale within the Spanish population
have continuously been very similar to those reported in American univer-
sity populations; see Caballo (1987) for a review. \X/e started with the
assumption that factors possibly similar to those found in the American pop-
ulation would possibly emerge in the Spanish population.
using the version rranslated and adapted for us with the Spanish uni-
versity population (Caballo, 1986), men and v/omen students from three
Spanish universities, Santiago de Compostela (north of Spain), Madrid (cen-
ter of Spain), andJaén (south of Spain) were tested' All were recruited by
the same method (scale applied to several university classes) by people of a
similar role (professors). The mean ages and standard deviations for each
sample afe sho$/n in Táble 1, which also includes the mean scale scores and
the standard deviations for each sample. No significant differences in mean
scores were found among the several samples.
The reliability coefficient for test-retest was that of the Pearson correla-
tion (a month interval between the two applications) oÍ 0.87 (n = 66
subjects). Internal consistency (Cronbach cy) was 0.89 (n = 843 subjects).

'Send correspondence and -requests. for ,reprinrs to Vicente E. Caballo, Department of

Personality, Ássessment' and Psychological Treatmenl, Colegio Universitario de Jaén, 23071
Jaén, Spain.
504 V E. CABALLO & G. BUELA

TABLE 1

M¡aNs aN» Sr,tN»¡no Dtvt¡tIoxs ril/rtrrN ¡. Sp,t¡irslt Uxrvrnsrty Popur¡.troN

lü/omen
Ag. CSES Ag" _ CSES
M .SD -- MSD
North: 27 Men, 110 \Women
22.) 120.81 24.48 21.9 ).1 124.44 t7 .89
Central: 68 Men, 224 \lomen
23.5 3.8 t28.78 D.99 23.0 2.8 82.46 19.88
South: 211 Men. 201 \X/omen
18.8 2.9 125.07 2r.91 19.3 2.3 122.37 2r.97

Responses to the scale were factor analyzed by means o{ the BMDP4M

program. Each factor analysis used a principal components analysis, followed
by a varimax rotation of factors with eigenvalues greater than one. An item
was considered to load significantly on a factor if its value \r/as at least 1
0.40 on that factor for interpretation purposes (Srevens, 1986). These crite-
ría were used to compare our results with those obtained in other American
studies using similar criteria (Culkin & Perrotto, 1985; Futch, Scheire¡ &
Lisman, 1982; Galassí & Galassi, 1980). The independent factors obtained
for each sample (zs > 100) \r/ere very similar in number and content to
those obtained for the other samples. As the means and standard deviations
from all the samples were also very similar, we combined all the men and all
the women as a single sample (n = 843, M = 126.46; SD = 21.48). For
thís sample 1J factors were obtained and 52%o variance was explained. Only
five of the 50 items (I)Vo) did not load significantly on any of the factors.
Taking into account the suggestions made by Futch, et al. (1982) and by
Stevens (1986) we reduced the factors from 1J to I1 (48Vo variance
explained). The Q/P ratio (Q is the number of factors and P is the number
of variables) is less than .30 (Stevens, 1986) for ].1, factors and their inter-
pretability is the best in a comparison with those of 13, 8, and 6 factors.
Contrasting these results with those obtained in the Amerícan popula-
tion (Galassi, et dl., I974; Galassi & Galassi, 1979,1980; Gorecki, Dickson,
& Ritzler, 1981; Kirschner & Galassi, 1981) leads us to report that the
mean scores and standard deviations from our samples are very similar to
those of the American groups. V/ith respect to the factors some similarities
and some differences emerge. In the study by Galassi and Galassí (1980) (n
= 247 Íemale university students, M = L20.L8; SD : 19.45) a similar pat-
tern of factors is found between the populations (12 factors identified for
the American sample when the College Self-expression Scale and the Rathus
Assertiveness Schedule are considered together, lL factors identified in the
Spanish sample). The most important factors found in the Spanish sample
are also present in the above-mentioned study b.7 Galassi and Galassi on the
 COLLEGE SELF-EXPRESSION SCALE 505

TABLE 2
F¡.cton LoenrNcs* tN Sp¡.r¡Isu eN» AuBnrce¡¡ Urrvrnsrtv Slwpr¡s o¡¡
rnr, Cor-¡-pca Sslr-rxptassrol.I Scerr
Item No. AmericanStudents SpanishStudents Eigenvalue
(1980, n= 261) (n = 84))
Factor I (Factor 4)t: Exptess annoyance, ange! displeasure
34 .56 .62 8.51
48 .48 .6t
)8 .00 .58
1) .46 51

10 .40 .50
28 .00 .47
47 .44 .42
Factor II (Factor 1): Speaking in class
50 .69 .80 2.37
4) 66 .79
2l .56 .73
18 .00 .41
Factor III (Factor 3): Standing up for consumet tights
35 .50 .67 2.)4
1 .00 .67
t5 .65 .r6
4t .40 .44
Facto¡ IV (Not obtained): Facing problems with parents
46 .00 72 1.80
29 00 .62
t) .00 .54
8 .00 .50
4 .00 .49
Factor V (Factor 2): Expressing positive feeüngs to opposite sex
20 .59 .64 r.65
49 .56 .62
10 .60 .6t
22 .48 .49
Factor VI (Factor 5): Complimenting/expressing appreciation
16 .43 .$ l.5r
3l .52 .57
)5 .64 .5)
7 .00 .41
Factor VII (Factor 8): Standing up for rights with roommates/friends
11 .00 .66 t.)2
t6 5) .60
t9 35 .5L
Factor VIII (Not obtained): Ability to say no
2 .00 .6t 1.26
L7 .00 .56
4 .00 .40
Factor IX (Not obtained): Fear of negative evaluation
5 .00 .52 l.l1
(Continued on next page)
 506 V. E. CABALLO & G. BUELA

TABLE 2 (CoNr'o)
Fecron Loaorxcs*' rN SpANrsH ,rN» Aurnrc¡,N UNrvensrry SeMpres ol.r
,"a C"r.r"r S"r"".
Item No. AmericanStudents SpanishStudents Eigenvalue
(1980, n= 267) (n = 843)
3 .00 .46
6 .00 .46
45 .00 .45
Factor X (Factor 7); Concern about others' feelings
L2
40 00 .51
24 .35 41
Factor XI (Not obtained): Asking favors of friends
37 .00 .62
L4 49
*The criterion for factot loadings was
t 0.40 in the Spanish samplááthough the criterion in
the American sample was + 0.15.
tRank order of the similar factot obtained in the original American sample in parenthesis.

American population (I2 factors, 40.I9Vo variance explained). The common

factors between American and Spanish samples are shown inTable 2.'
This study suggests that there is a similar level of global assertion
between American and spanish university students and that the main
dimensions of assertion (measured by this self-report index) are very similar
between these two geographically separate populations. Howeve4 the factors
found in the Spanish sample are more clear-cut and easier to interpret than
those found in the American sample. Furthermore, the number of factors
found in the spanish sample lies within the normal range of factors or com-
ponents of assertiveness (from 7 to 14) typically identified in the literature
(Futch, et al., 1982). Finally, the moderate percentage of total variance
accounted for in the scale suggests the presence of a substantial amount of
unique variance in the insmument, which supports a situation-specific view
of assertion (Caballo, 1987; Eisler, Hersen, Miller, & Blanchard , 1,975;
Futch, et al., L982; Galassi & Galassi, 1979).
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]\pnlq,9"tqr matgrial is^on file in Document NAPS-04640 with Microfiche Publications,

POB 3511, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017. Remit 94.00 for fiche or 912.25 foí
photocopy.
 COLLEGE SELF-EXPRESSION SCALE 507

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Accepted. Atgast 19, 1.988.

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