Psychometric Properties of Conflict Resolution Communication Strategies Scale (CRCS): A Tool for Counselling Psychologist

Abstract

Communication is a key component of effective conflict resolution, especially when it comes to the areas of “open communication” and “active and clear communication”. In order to evaluate these aspects and direct interventions, counselling psychologists frequently need reliable instruments. Nevertheless, current instruments fall short in distinguishing these two crucial elements properly. This study aims to develop and validate the Conflict Resolution Communication Strategies Scale (CRCS) specifically for counselling psychologists, focusing on the psychometric properties of construct validity and internal consistency. About 118 lecturers from different Nigerian institutions participated in the study. After several iterations of testing and feedback, the CRCS's initial set of 18 items was whittled down to 12 with the help of expert opinion and a review of the literature. Through principal component analysis (PCA) and reliability testing, the CRCS was refined into two distinct subscales: "open communication" and "active and clear communication," which together account for 60.6% of the total variance. The scale’s robust psychometric properties were established, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.876, indicating high internal consistency across both subscales. The CRCS provides counselling psychologists with a reliable tool to assess communication strategies in conflict resolution, filling a significant gap in available instruments that can separately measure key communication constructs.

Keywords

• Conflict resolution
• Open communication
• Active and clear communication
• Counselling psychologists
• Psychometric validation

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