The need to assess people's social problem solving skills with a valid and reliable measurement tool has been felt in our country. In order to meet this need, this study aims to determine the validity and reliability of the social problem solving inventory for Turkey. The scale was administered to 353 university students and the reliability of the scale was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.93 for the problem orientation scale (0.93 for the cognition subscale, 0.85 for the affect subscale, 0.93 for the cognition subscale, and 0.93 for the problem orientation subscale).85 for the cognition subscale, 0.69 for the affect subscale and 0.88 for the behavior subscale), 0.93 (sorun tanımlaması ve formülasyonu alt ölçeği için 0.72, seçenek çözümlerin oluşturulması alt ölçeği için 0.76, karar verme alt ölçeği için 0.84 for the decision-making subscale and 0.78 for the solution realization and verification subscale) and 0.95 for the entire social problem solving inventory. According to the results of the exploratory factor analysis conducted for validity, it was found that the inventory had two dimensions; the rate of explaining the total variability of the first factor was 24.597%, the rate of explaining the total variability of the second dimension was 9.178% and 33.775% in total. As a result of this study, it was determined that the Social Problem Solving Inventory is valid and reliable for Turkish society.
D' Zurilla et al. revised and renewed the Social Problem Solving Inventory in the following years and named this new scale as the Revised Social Problem Solving Inventory (D' Zurilla et al., 2002; Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised; SPSI-R).
The Social Problem Solving Inventory - Short Form (SPÇE-KF) consists of two dimensions: "problem orientation" and "problem solving styles". In the problem orientation dimension, there are two subscales: positive problem orientation and negative problem orientation.
The problem solving style dimension consists of three subscales: rational problem solving, impulsitivity/carelessness styles, and avoidance styles.
The measurement tool consists of 5 subscales in total. There are a total of 25 items in the scale. The items are rated on a five-point scale ranging from 0 (not at all appropriate) to 4 (completely appropriate). A total score for each subscale can be obtained as well as an overall total score from the scale.
The items belonging to each subscale are as follows;
-Items 4, 5, 13, 15 and 22 in the Positive Orientation to Problem subscale
-Items 1, 3, 7, 8 and 11 in the Negative Orientation to Problem subscale
-Items 12, 16, 19, 21 and 23 in the Rational Problem Solving subscale
-Items 2, 14, 20, 24 and 25 in the Inattentive/Impulsive Style subscale
-The Avoidant Style subscale includes items 6, 9, 10, 17 and 18.
There are no reverse-scored items in the measurement tool. In order to obtain a total score for each subscale, it is sufficient to add the scores of the items in that subscale. However, in order to obtain an overall total score from the scale, a special formula must be applied. The lowest score obtained from the scale is 0 and the highest score is 100. A high score indicates a "good level" of social problem solving skills, while low scores indicate a low level of social problem solving skills.
The subscales Positive Problem Orientation and Rational Problem Solving indicate a "constructive (functional) approach" to social problem solving; Negative Problem Orientation, Inattentive/Impulsive Style and Avoidant Style represent "non-constructive (non-functional) approach".
Explanations regarding each subscale are presented below;
1. Positive Problem Orientation: It can be defined as a constructivist approach that refers to cognitively constructing social problem solving. In this subscale, characteristics such as positive perspective, self-efficacy, and positive outcome expectancy are measured. There are a total of 5 items in this subscale.
2. Negative Problem Orientation: In this subscale, dysfunctional (non-constructive) cognitive-emotional schemas in social problem situations, perceiving problems as threatening, low self-efficacy, negative outcome expectancy, low frustration threshold are included. There are a total of 5 items in this subscale.
3. Rational Problem Solving: It is the constructive problem solving style. It includes features such as realistic, systematic and deliberated practices in the application of effective problem solving skills. These include defining and formulating problems, formulating alternatives, decision making, implementing and verifying the solution. There are 5 items in total in this subscale.
4. Impulsive/Inattentive Style: It is one of the non-constructive problem solving styles. It consists of limited, impulsive, careless, hurried and incomplete behaviors in the problem solving process. There are 5 items in total in this subscale.
5. Avoidant Style: It is another non-constructive problem solving style. Procrastination, acting passively or not reacting, assigning responsibility for problem solving to others are examples of behaviors seen in avoidant style. There are a total of 5 items in this subscale.
Measurement tools in the field of social problem solving ""process measurement (process measures)" and "outcome measures". Process measurement is the evaluation of strong (effective) and weak (ineffective) cognitive-behavioral activities that constitute the problem-solving process. For example, the process of "finding" a solution to a problem. The outcome measure involves the evaluation of the quality of specific solutions found for specific problems (D' Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 2004). The Social Problem Solving Inventory - Revised Form (SPÇE-R) is a measurement tool that falls into the process measurement category.