Development and initial validation of a multidimensional student performance scale

Abstract

Job performance has been recognised as multidimensional, and can be separated into task performance, organisational citizenship behaviours, and counterproductive work behaviours. These dimensions of job performance have been applied to student performance in previous research. However, the qualitatively different contexts between job and student performance mean that behaviours measuring multidimensional performance in the work context may not be applicable to the university context. In two studies we sought to investigate whether the dimensional structure of job performance could be replicated with student performance, and to develop preliminary scales to measure multidimensional student performance. Results revealed that the three-factor structure of job performance could be replicated in student performance, and that previous scales used to measure the dimensions of student performance suffered issues in relation to construct definition and concept overlap. Furthermore, we provided initial support for the validity of the multidimensional student performance scale developed in this study, and correlated the subscales with measures of personality and grade point average.