Dimensions of Perceived Support for Innovation Scale: A Comparison of Students from Only Child and Multiple Children Families in a Chinese University

Abstract

Aims: The study aim was to develop the perceived support for innovation scale, and compare the students from only child and multiple children families in a Chinese university on this scale. Study design: This was a cross sectional survey design. Place and Duration of Study: School of Psychology, School of Computer and Information Science and Software, Southwest University, China, from December 2012 to August 2013. Methodology: A total of 813 (males = 279 and females = 534) university students selected randomly at the Southwest University, China participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 20.15 (SD = 1.034).The participants completed a measure of perceived support for innovation. Results: The means of perceived support for innovation were from low (3.23+/-0.76) to high (3.81+/-0.67) for students from only child families and from low (3.14+/-0.65) to high (3.71+/-0.62) for students from multiple children families. There were differences in the family support (t =3.962, df =811, p＜.001) and team support (t =2.824, df =811, p＜.01) between the two groups. Nonparametric tests showed that the median and 1st quartile of students from only child and multiple children families were same. The items of cumulative percentages of score 4 and 5 less than 60% for students from only child families had 11 items, and for students from multiple children families had 14 items (11 items were same as students from only child families). Conclusion: The inclusiveness, family support and teacher encouragement of perceived support for innovation in students from only child and multiple children families were relatively higher, and team support and resource security were lower. The family support and team support perceived by students from only child families were significantly higher than students from multiple children families.