Journal of College & University Student Housing Volume 48, No. 1 - 77

This study proposed the use of a domain-specific
self-efficacy instrument related
to an important peer leader position at residential
colleges and universities in an attempt
to identify the optimal conditions to measure
this construct. Utilizing the institution's identified
major job duties and responsibilities,
collaborating as a team of applied practitioners
and education and psychology researchers,
and utilizing the Rasch rating scale model is
a replicable and straightforward approach to
understanding important personnel who may
influence student success. For practitioners,
the end product may facilitate discussions
about how they select, train, and develop RAs
to meet key job functions. In conclusion, the
research team reinforces the necessity of partnership
with content experts and contextual
considerations when using statistical information
to make decisions.
Findings based on this investigation of
the RASE also provide evidence for the scale
content, which means that all the items accurately
represent our construct of interest. This
was likely due to the partnership with the host
institution. In our study, administrators in
housing and residence life (i.e., hall directors,
coordinators) provided expert review feedback
to develop the final phrasing of the 23
items. Closely working with the residence life
staff gave us the opportunity to develop items
specifically focused on the intended purpose
and utility of the measure-an intentional
decision during the instrument development
process that is encouraged for other institutions
interested in similarly measuring this
construct with their corps of RAs.
*
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Volume 48, No. 1 * 2021
77

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Journal of College & University Student Housing Volume 48, No. 1

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