A brief version of the Need for Self-Knowledge Scale (NSKS) for adolescents aged 10—18 years

Context and relevance. Self-knowledge is a complex psychological phenomenon that develops through interaction with the external world and is grounded in a relatively stable self-concept. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the subject–event approach, which conceptualizes self-knowledge as a three-component structure including personal (need for self-change), reflexive, and communicative (self-knowledge through others) components. Objective. To develop a brief version of the Need for Self-Knowledge Scale (NSKS) and to examine its structure and psychometric properties in a sample of Russian adolescents aged 10—18 years. Hypothesis. The brief version of the NSKS demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity and can be used in research and practice with adolescents. Methods and materials. The study involved 1389 adolescents aged 10—18 years (52% female). The following instruments were used: the Need for Self-Knowledge Scale (NSKS), Classroom Climate, and School Situation questionnaires. Results. The three-factor structure of the scale demonstrated good internal consistency and invariance across gender, age, and levels of social desirability. The components of self-knowledge — the need for self-knowledge through others and the need for self-reflection — increase with age, whereas the need for self-change remains relatively stable. The need for self-knowledge through others is the most prominent component among adolescents, while the need for self-reflection is the least pronounced, particularly in early adolescence (ages 10—12), which is consistent with developmental characteristics of this period. Higher levels of the need for self-knowledge were observed among average- and high-achieving students. Conclusions. The developed brief psychodiagnostic instrument corresponds to the proposed theoretical model and includes three subscales: need for self-knowledge through others, need for self-change, and need for self-reflection. The scale demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity and can be effectively used in both research and applied settings.

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