Goals and reputations amongst young children - The validation of the importance of goals and reputation enhancement scales

The aim of the present research was to provide school psychologists with va lid instruments with which to assess the goals and reputations of young chi ldren. This was achieved by ascertaining whether the factor structures and the second-order factor models of the high school versions of the Importanc e of Goals (Carroll, et al., 1997) and Reputation Enhancement Scales (Carro ll, et al., 1999) could be replicated with a primary school sample. Eight h undred and eighty-six 10 to 12 year old children were administered modified versions of the two scales, which were combined and renamed the Children's Activity Questionnaire. For the two scales, the factor structure proved re plicable and reliable with the primary school sample. A comparison between the factor loadings of the primary school and the high school samples using the coefficient of congruence procedure demonstrated similarity indicating that the scales are replicable and able to be used with a younger primary school sample. Structural equation modelling indicated that the second-orde r factor structure of the Importance of Goals Scale was acceptable but this was not the case for the second-order factor structure of the Reputation E nhancement Scale.