RESUMO
School engagement is considered an effective college dropout antidote; therefore, understanding the construct, its underpinnings, and its effects remains critical for scholars. Although several scholars have offered multiple scales to measure engagement, their use has been hindered by significant limitations. This study sought to develop a scale to measure academic engagement by unifying and improving existing work and theories that resulted in a three-dimensional measurement model (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive). The items included were validated by a group of experts who ensured that the wording of the items captured the uniqueness of the college experience. A sample of 992 Mexican college students was used to test the fit of a second-order three-dimensional factor model of school engagement. The sample was randomly split in two for model cross-validation. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that student engagement is a three-dimensional construct, with evidence that supports the hypothesized second-order engagement factor structure (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive). The stability of these models was confirmed by using an independent sample. Measurement invariance by gender was found in this model. Then, differences in latent factor means were analyzed. Finally, the scale showed discriminant and concurrent validity. These results indicate that the scale is theoretically and psychometrically grounded for measuring college students' school engagement.
Assuntos
Instituições Acadêmicas , Estudantes , Humanos , Psicometria , Estudantes/psicologia , Universidades , Emoções , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
En este estudio se analizan las propiedades psicométricas de la escala de Actitudes hacia la Investigación Científica (EACIN), dirigida a la comunidad académica y propuesta por (Aldana, Caraballo, & Babativa, 2016) en Colombia. Para ello, se contó con la participación de 238 alumnos universitarios mexicanos y se realizaron análisis de consistencia interna haciendo uso de la prueba alfa de Cronbach y de validez de constructo a través de la aplicación del análisis factorial exploratorio (N=115) y confirmatorio (N=123). Los resultados indican que se obtuvo un modelo de medición bidimensional empíricamente sustentable, conformado por un total de ocho ítems y con los índices de ajuste necesarios (X2 = 21.53, CMIN/DF = 1.13, CFI = .98, RMR = .06, RMSEA = .06). Por tanto, esta escala podría ser empleada en estudiantes universitarios mexicanos. No obstante, es deseable continuar con la revisión de dicho instrumento y la confirmación de los resultados presentados e incitar la reflexión sobre los supuestos en el ámbito de la medición de actitudes
This study analyses the psychometric properties of the Scale of Attitudes towards Scientific Research (EACIN), aimed at the academic community and proposed by (Aldana, Caraballo, & Babativa, 2016) in Colombia. For this matter, 238 Mexican university students participated. Internal consistency analysis was carried out using Cronbach's alpha test, and construct validity through the application of exploratory factor analysis (N = 115) and confirmatory (N = 123). The results indicate that an empirically sustainable bidimensional measurement model was obtained, consisting of a total of eight items and with the necessary adjustment indexes (X2 = 21.53, CMIN/DF = 1.13, CFI = .98, RMR = .06, RMSEA = .06). Therefore, this scale could be used in Mexican university students. However, it is desirable to continue with this instrument and confirm the results presented and encourage reflection on the assumptions in the field of attitude measurement