Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an optimism-pessimism scale to determine the levels of optimism and pessimism in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years old. First, an item pool of optimism composed of 32 items was formed. Two items were subsequently removed from the scale. After a pilot research with 30 students, necessary arrangements were made and a preliminary questionnaire of 30 items with a five-point Likert style was developed. A total of 1,187 secondary school students participated in the research: 494 students participated in DFA analysis (50.6% female and 49.4% male); 118 students participated in criterion-related validity (48.3% female and 51.7% male); 501 students participated in the CFA (48.5% female and 51.5% male) and 74 students participated in test-retest analysis (55.4% female and 44.6% male). As a result of the analysis, a structure consisting of 16 items and two factors explaining 43.24% of the total variance of the scale was obtained. By examining the standardized loading and regression values of the items, it was decided that all the items were meaningful in both factors. As a result of the reliability analysis, the Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients are .86 for optimism and .82 for pessimism. In conclusion, the findings obtained from the analyses demonstrate that the scale consisting of 30 items and 2 factors for adolescents (aged 11-16 years) is a valid and reliable measurement tool.

Keywords: Adolescent, Optimism, Pessimism, Scale