Development and Validation of Vocational Character Competency Scale for University Students

Character has become a critical competency essential for realizing individual potential and achieving professional success across all stages of life. University students, as emerging professionals, must cultivate multidimensional character competencies to succeed in the professional world, highlighting the need for a systematic measurement tool. This study aimed at developing and validating a scale to assess and enhance these competencies. A theoretical framework guided the development of preliminary items through a Delphi survey. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with 375 university students refined the scale, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 1,240 students verified its validity and reliability. The final scale comprises six factors-self-management, openness, empathy, communication, collaboration, civic virtues, and community consciousness-encompassing 35 items. The scale demonstrated strong reliability and validity, offering practical applications for character education and talent development in universities, corporations, and society. It serves as a valuable tool for systematically assessing and fostering multidimensional character competencies.