Deliberation and Resolution in Decision-Making Processes: A Self-Report Scale for Adolescents

Abstract

The article describes the development and validation of a scale for measuring the prevalence of typical decision-making processes used by adolescents. Two studies are reported. In the first, a total of 82 high school students (14 through 17 years) participated in special workshops, and gave details of their typical concerns and the way they tackled them. In the second study, a total of 652 high school students filled out 1,272 questionnaires in which they rated the frequencies of using certain procedures in decision-making, based on different levels of deliberation and resolution. Data were factor analyzed and three factors, containing 17 items, emerged: (a) Vacillation-high level of deliberation and no or unstable choice, (b) Undeliberated Conclusion-where action is based on very little consideration or on dependency on others, and (c) Thoughtful Determination-clear and determined choice based on serious deliberation.