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This research was aimed at developing a scale for measuring the cognitive flexibility of adolescents. This scale will help us to understand how flexible individuals are in regard to themselves, others, and the environment. It consists of 19 items and is in the form of semantic differentials. Reliability and validity were tested using a sample of 637 adolescents. The Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) was prepared so it was parallel to the structure of the 3 dimensions of semantic differential scales. The 3 dimensions in the CFS explain 51.33% of total variance of the scale. The internal consistency for the scale was found to be .92. Item-total correlations of the items were between .49 and .63. Test-retest correlation coefficiency within an eight-week interval was .77, and the split-half coefficiency was .87. In the criterion validity tests of the scale, the divergent validity was tested by means of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (Weissman & Beck, 1978). The correlation between the two scales was found to be -.44.
Keywords: cognitive flexibility, adolescents, reliability, validity, CFS.
Martin and Rubin (1995) emphasized the need for flexibility in thinking before acting. In this respect, cognitive flexibility can be defined as the awareness of various possible options for dealing with a situation, a willingness for adaptation and flexibility in new situations, and an individual sense of self-efficacy (Martin & Anderson, 1998; Martin, Anderson, & Thweatt, 1998; Martin & Rubin, 1995). Individuals need to be aware of the alternatives and choices before they decide to adapt their behaviors to new situations; thus, they consider their own options in relation to the new situation. The more options individuals can develop, the more flexible they are considered to be (Martin & Anderson, 1998). Cognitively flexible individuals are willing to experience new methods of social interaction (Martin & Anderson, 1998). They are confident that they are competent in thenbehavioral understanding (Bandura, 1977).
Beck (1967) stated that individuals restructure the world based on their own thoughts, and they act accordingly. In 1995, he claimed that thoughts lead to feelings and behaviors. For example, it is assumed mat psychological disturbances are caused by extremely negative generalized cognitions and cognitions resisting change. These cognitions consist of negative thoughts that are far from being flexible. Thus, it can be...