title: Validation of the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM): evidence from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.
abstract: This article reports the development and initial validation of scores obtained from the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM), a scale which assesses concerns of Asian adolescent students. In Study 1, findings from exploratory factor analysis using 619 adolescents suggested a 24-item scale with four correlated factors--Family Concerns (9 items), Peer Concerns (5 items), Personal Concerns (6 items), and School Concerns (4 items). Initial estimates of convergent validity for ACM scores were also reported. The four-factor structure of ACM scores derived from Study 1 was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 using a two-fold cross-validation procedure with a separate sample of 811 adolescents. Support was found for both the multidimensional and hierarchical models of adolescent concerns using the ACM. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability estimates were adequate for research purposes. ACM scores show promise as a reliable and potentially valid measure of Asian adolescents' concerns.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. rpang@ntu.edu.sg
authors.forename: Rebecca P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.forename: Wan Har
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Vivien S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.forename: Lay See
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires