Spanish-Speaking Children’s Attitudes Toward School Science: Instrument Development and Psychometric Analysis

Abstract

The current research evaluated the psychometric properties of a questionnaire measuring 1st and 2nd grad- ers’ attitudes toward school science (CASS). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor struc- ture, consisting of the ’enjoyableness’ and ’self-efficacy’ dimensions of school science. This analysis also provided initial evidence of satisfactory internal consistency reli- ability. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis showed that the two-factor model provided a better fit than a uni- dimensional structure and further supported the internal consistency reliability of the instrument. Study 3 provided strong evidence for test–retest reliability. Study 4 offered promising evidence of construct validity by identifying a positive and significant relationship between the ’enjoya- bleness’ and ’perceived self-efficacy’ in school science and leisure interest in science-related activities. Finally, Study 5 assessed the instrument’s responsiveness to an inquiry-based intervention, showing that it can effectively detect changes over time. Taken together, these findings suggest that the proposed instrument, CASS, yields scores with adequate validity and reliability, making it a reliable tool for assessing young students’ attitudes toward school science and evaluat- ing the effectiveness of educational interventions in the early elementary school years.