Multi-Item Scale:

Item Text:

Different Answer Format Tested:

Findings:

The respondents only used the left half of the response scale to answer item 14: Three answered, “Never true” and seven answered “Sometimes true”. The three respondents who answered “Never true” explained that good performance and praise would encourage them to feel that they could be as good again next time:

• “When I am praised, it encourages me to be as good again next time.” (TP03, 12 years old, 7th grade)
• “I have no doubts about my ability. I would think I would be just as good again. I don't assume that I'll unlearn things.” (TP05, 13 years old, 7th grade)

Those who answered “Sometimes true” stated that they sometimes doubted that they could continue to achieve very good grades or perform very well:

• “Most of the time, when I'm praised, I think I'll do just as well or better next time. But if I'm very good in one topic, for example, and then another topic comes up, maybe in math, where I know I'm not so good at. Then I start to doubt it.” (TP04, 10 years old, 5th grade)
• “If I once gave a presentation at school and it was very good and then a few months later I have to give another one on a different topic, then I think to myself that it might be difficult to get such a good grade again.” (TP10, 11 years old, 6th grade)
• “For example, if you get a good grade in a subject that you're not good at, then you think that it won't be like that again next time.” (TP09, 13 years old, 8th grade)

Respondent 06 stated that she was unfamiliar with the phrase “having doubts”, but interpreted the item as intended:

• “Doubt means that you don't know exactly whether it will be the same next time, doesn't it? I don't know that for sure. But I would say 'Sometimes it's true', in sport for example.” (TP06, 9 years old, 4th grade)

Recommendations:

We recommend simplifying the language of the item:

When I am praised for something, I find it hard to believe that I can be as good again the next time.
[Wenn ich für etwas gelobt werde, fällt es mir schwer zu glauben, dass ich beim nächsten Mal wieder so gut sein kann.]

Revised version:
When I am praised for something, I have great doubts that I can be as good again the next time.
[Wenn ich für etwas gelobt werde, habe ich große Zweifel daran, dass ich beim nächsten Mal wieder so gut sein kann.]

In addition, the order of items 13 and 14 was swapped, as both items relate to doubts.