TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-Efficacy in Retrieving Positive Emotional Experience and Using Humor
T2 - A Validation Study of a New Instrument in Three Countries
AU - Gerbino, Maria
AU - Milioni, Michaela
AU - Alessandri, Guido
AU - Eisenberg, Nancy
AU - Caprara, Mariagiovanna
AU - Kupfer, Anne
AU - Pastorelli, Concetta
AU - Vittorio Caprara, Gian
PY - 2016/10/7
Y1 - 2016/10/7
N2 - Recent research has pointed to the benefits of positive emotions and their appropriate modulation in buffering the impact of negative experience, and in promoting well-being. Two studies examined the psychometric properties of a new scale that was designed to assess perceived self-efficacy in using memories of positive emotional experiences and humor to face challenges and to cope with stressful experiences. In the first study, we examined the factor structure and internal validity of two scales in youths from the United States (N = 1,277), Italy (N = 363), and Spain (N = 223). In the second study, we examined correlations of the two scales with positive affect, as well as other indicators of well-being and adjustment in the three countries (US: N = 499; Italian and Spanish samples of Study 1). The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported two distinct factors and showed acceptable partial invariance of the scales across countries. Correlations supported the scales' construct and discriminant validity. Overall, the findings corroborated the psychometric properties of the two scales and the view of retrieval of positive emotional experiences and humor as distinct self-regulatory strategies.
AB - Recent research has pointed to the benefits of positive emotions and their appropriate modulation in buffering the impact of negative experience, and in promoting well-being. Two studies examined the psychometric properties of a new scale that was designed to assess perceived self-efficacy in using memories of positive emotional experiences and humor to face challenges and to cope with stressful experiences. In the first study, we examined the factor structure and internal validity of two scales in youths from the United States (N = 1,277), Italy (N = 363), and Spain (N = 223). In the second study, we examined correlations of the two scales with positive affect, as well as other indicators of well-being and adjustment in the three countries (US: N = 499; Italian and Spanish samples of Study 1). The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported two distinct factors and showed acceptable partial invariance of the scales across countries. Correlations supported the scales' construct and discriminant validity. Overall, the findings corroborated the psychometric properties of the two scales and the view of retrieval of positive emotional experiences and humor as distinct self-regulatory strategies.
KW - humor
KW - positive emotional experiences
KW - self-efficacy beliefs
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U2 - 10.1027/1015-5759/a000356
DO - 10.1027/1015-5759/a000356
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85047503446
SN - 1015-5759
JO - European Journal of Psychological Assessment
JF - European Journal of Psychological Assessment
ER -