Development and Validation of the Aesthetic Competence Scale

This study aimed to develop and validate the Aesthetic Competence Scale to measure students’ Aesthetic Quotient. A total of 654 undergraduate students participated in the survey. In phase 1, participants completed a 40-item Aesthetic Competence Scale intended to measure the four factors of Aesthetic Quotient, namely, music, drawing, literature, and film. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to eliminate items with low factor coefficients and generate a concise instrument. In phase 2, confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the revised questionnaire. The findings of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothetical factor structure of the Aesthetic Competence Scale. All subscales of the Aesthetic Competence Scale showed good internal consistency reliabilities. Concurrent validity was evaluated by structural equation modeling, which examined the relationships between the Aesthetic Competence Scale, emotions, and creativity. The result provided the criterion validation and revealed the value of the Aesthetic Competence Scale.