Exploring the cross-cultural validity of the Sense of Self (SoS) scale in Hong Kong and the Philippines

This study explored the applicability of the Sense of Self (SOS) scale within the Asian context. Adolescent high school students in Hong Kong (N = 697) and the Philippines (N = 709) were asked to complete the 26-item SOS scale which measures students’ sense of purpose, sense of reliance, negative self-concept, and positive self-concept. Preliminary analysis showed that internal reliability coefficients of the SOS were all adequate for the two groups of participants. Separate confirmatory factor analyses indicated a good fit between the hypothesized models and Hong Kong and Filipino data. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses indicated invariant factor loadings for the SOS in the Hong Kong and Filipino contexts. Implications for cross-cultural research are discussed.