Validity and Reliability of an Instrument Measuring Soft Skills among Secondary School Students

Abstract

Soft skills are essential competencies that need to be cultivated among students to equip them with the ability to solve real-life problems by applying knowledge acquired throughout their schooling experience. Given the absence of a specific instrument designed to measure students' soft skills, this study developed an instrument adapted from previous research. The instrument encompasses four constructs: communication, teamwork skills, leadership skills, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the adapted instrument in assessing soft skills among lower secondary students. A pilot study was conducted with 57 students selected through simple random sampling. Content validity was evaluated using the Content Validity Index (CVI), involving five appointed experts, while internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The CVI result of 0.86 indicated that the instrument demonstrates a high level of content validity, clarity, and alignment with the research objectives. The Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.767 suggested that the instrument has acceptable reliability and falls within a moderate level. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is recommended following the item refinement process to confirm the underlying element measured by the instrument.