Problem-Solving Skills Scale (PSSS) Validity and Reliability

In this study attempts to develop the Problem-Solving Skills Scale (PSSS) intended for the identification of the problem-solving skills in preschoolers. The population of the study, which was on the validity and reliability of the PSSS, was comprised of children who attended preschool classes at formal primary schools in Malatya, Turkey. The sample contained 204 children with normal growth and development-101 of them being female and the remaining 103 being male-who lived with their parents. PSSS includes eighteen problem situations and eighteen drawings relevant to these problem situations. The PSSS was measured on a five-point Likert-type scale. The validity of the scale was tested by means of the content-validity index and exploratory factor analysis. The reliability of the scale was tested through Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient and test-retest reliability coefficient. The indexes were calculated for two aspects: The appropriateness of the items and the appropriateness of the drawings. Finally, the content-validity indexes for the two aspects were 0.99 and 0.96 respectively. The exploratory factor analysis concluded that the PSSS had a one-factor structure, which accounted for 30.68% of the total variance. Cronbach's Alpha Internal Consistency Coefficient was alpha=.86. The Correlation Coefficient was .60, which was significant and intermediate. The mean scores in the first and second administrations of the PSSS did not differ significantly The validity and reliability analyses demonstrated that the PSSS is an appropriate instrument for children aged 60 to 72 months.