Factor structure of the Japanese Interpersonal Competence Scale

Abstract

Aim: Assessing social competence is important for clinical and preventive interventions of depression. The aim of the present paper was to examine the factor structure of the Japanese Interpersonal Competence Scale (JICS).Methods: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the survey responses of 730 participants. Simultaneous multigroup analyses were conducted to confirm factor stability across psychological health status and sex differences. Results: Two factors, which represent PerceptiveAbility and Self-Restraint, were confirmed to show a moderate correlation. Perceptive Ability involves a more cognitive aspect of social competence, while Self-Restraint involves a more behavioral aspect, both of which are considered to reflect the emotion-based relating style specific to the Japanese people: indulgent dependence (amae) and harmony (wa). In addition, Self-Restraint may be linked to social functioning. Both constructs may confound a respondent's perceived confidence. Conclusion:Despite its shortcomings, the JICS is a unique measure of social competence in the Japanese cultural context.

Social Skills, Friendship and Happiness: A Cross-Cultural Investigation

“…Accordingly, it is crucial to pay attention to these indigenous cultural factors when assessing psychosocial well-being in different cultures. It remains to be seen whether the findings of the present study could be replicated with instruments developed and/or modified to include the culture-specific meanings of these constructs (e.g., Matsudaira et al, 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, cross-cultural studies on social skills and friendship quality suggest that competencies (e.g., self-disclosure of personal information) and friendship features (e.g., support) assessed across cultures represent culture-general factors (bin Yaacob, Newman, Yaakob, & Goddard, 2009;LaFreniere et al, 2002). Yet, some studies suggest that certain friendship behaviors (e.g., Argyle, Henderson, Bond, Iizuka, & Contarello, 1986) and social skills (e.g., interaction management; Matsudaira, Fukuhara, & Kitamura, 2008) may be more important and effective in defining these constructs and understanding their implications for well-being among individuals in Asian cultures. Accordingly, it is crucial to pay attention to these indigenous cultural factors when assessing psychosocial well-being in different cultures.…”

Movement changes due to hemiplegia in stroke survivors: a hermeneutic phenomenological study

“…Licence for amae Matsudaira et al described 'amae' as indulgent dependence on others [18]. Doi explained that 'amae' is the noun form of the verb 'amaeru', which means to depend upon and presume another's benevolence [19].…”

“…Since before her disease, Yuki and her husband had had the relation by which 'amae', i.e. indulgent dependence [18], is permitted mutually, and this relationship was continued after her disease.…”

10. The composition of competence: Communication skills

“…Measures of competence are commonly translated and examined for their ability to reproduce factor structures and reliability in other cultures and languages, such as Poland (Górska 2011), Switzerland (Hofmann, Schori, and Abel 2012), Mexico (Torres 2013), Korea (Yum 2012) and Japan (Matsudaira, Fukuhara, and Kitamura 2008). Such generalizability is also examined for various age groups, such as preschool (Santos, Peceguina, Daniel, Shin and Vaughn 2013), elementary school children (Fink, Rosnay, Peterson and Slaughter 2013) and middle-school children (Ying-Chun, Hong, and Zhi-Yong 2006).…”