Design and Validation of the «Adolescents’ Readiness for Independent Living» Questionnaire: Assessment and Development of Life Skills

Abstract

Designing a model of autonomy development for adolescents is an important aspect of the research. The article describes the process of Designing and validating the «Adolescents’ Readiness for Independent Living» questionnaire. The «Adolescents’ Readiness for Independent Living» questionnaire is an adaptation of the Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment (ACLSA) Youth 4 — Version 4.0 [32].A distinctive feature of the modified questionnaire is the use of a series of focus groups with adolescents attending residential institutions and the formulation of questions that allow us to measure the independence of adolescents in Russia. The questionnaire is based on the concept of hardiness, according to which life skills promote the socialization of adolescents into the world of «adulthood» and uncertainty. An empirical study assessed adolescents’ readiness for independent living; it was conducted in Moscow and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, with a total sample size of (N = 179) respondents, 76 of them boys, 103 girls, and with an average age of 17 years. Two-factor analysis of variance was used for further analysis. Gender and place of residence (with the family or at boarding school) were taken as independent dichotomous variables. The scores for each scale were the dependent variables. The reliability of the questionnaire was demonstrated, as well as its construct validity and convergent validity. Recommendations are made for researchers working or planning to work with adolescent samples.