Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a Collective Efficacy Scale for Japanese High School Baseball Players (CES-JHSBP) and to investigate the relationship between collective efficacy, group cohesiveness and club activities stressors on Japanese high school baseball players. A sample of 224 Japanese male high school students belonging to high school baseball clubs (mean age=16.64, SD=0.64) were asked to answer a questionnaire between January to February 2005. This questionnaire was composed of socio demographical items, a Collective Efficacy Scale derived from the Collective Efficacy Scale for rowing (Magyar et. al., 2004) and translated from English into Japanese, a Brief Group-cohesiveness Scale (BGS; Serizawa & Shimizu, 2005a) and a Brief Stressor Scale for Club Activities (BSSCA; Serizawa & Shimizu, 2005b). Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to develop the CES-JHSBP. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between the CES-JHSBP and the BGS or the BSSCA. The results showed that the CES-JHSBP includes a three-factor solution with 10 items and acceptable internal consistencies and structural validities. Furthermore, the results of significantly standardized partial regression coefficients between CES-JHSBP, BGS and BSSCA indicated that psychological interventions on social skills training and structural encounter groups increased collective efficacy. On the other hand, stressors from teachers who were coaching the club activity may have reduced collective efficacy. In future research, in order to enhance the instructional and managerial abilities of school teachers, effective methods of psychological and educational interventions should be developed.
