ERIC Number: EJ1180934
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jul
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0734-2829
EISSN: N/A
Validation of the Perceived Sense of School Membership Scale: A South African Version
Cowden, Richard G.; Govender, Kaymarlin; Oppong Asante, Kwaku; Reardon, Candice; George, Gavin
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, v36 n4 p411-417 Jul 2018
This study explored the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Perceived Sense of School Membership (PSSM-18) Scale in two samples of South African adolescents. Principal components analysis (n = 1,052; males = 50.86%, M[subscript age] = 14.89, SD = 1.68) supported the retention of 15 items across a revised, three-factor structure of "acceptance," "belonging," and "inclusion" (PSSM-South African version [PSSM-SA]). Confirmatory factor analysis (n = 1,418; males = 49.86%, M[subscript age] = 14.93, SD = 1.70) provided an acceptable level of fit for the PSSM-SA. The structure was found to be invariant across sex, age, and poverty quintile groupings. Follow-up group comparisons showed selected scales were able to discriminate between groups and predicted alcohol and substance use, and the mean inter-item correlations indicated each scale possessed an appropriate level of internal consistency. The findings suggest the PSSM-SA is a valid and reliable measure of school belonging among South African high school-age children.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Sense of Community, Program Validation, Factor Structure, Psychometrics, Factor Analysis, Goodness of Fit, Gender Differences, Age Differences, Poverty, Substance Abuse, Likert Scales, Group Membership, Adolescent Attitudes, Secondary School Students, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A