Psychometric Validation of a Mathematics Self-Belief Instrument Using Secondary Data from Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47945/search.v5i1.3224Keywords:
Mathematics Self-Belief, Validity, Reliability, Self-Efficacy, Math Anxiety, Early Childhood Pre-Service TeachersAbstract
Mathematics self-belief among early childhood pre-service teachers is considered an important factor influencing how they later teach numeracy to young children. However, most existing self-belief instruments were developed and validated in Western contexts, so their psychometric properties warrant re-examination before broader use. This study examined the reliability and factor structure of a mathematics self-belief instrument covering three theoretical dimensions—self-efficacy, self-concept, and mathematics anxiety—through a secondary analysis of Brownlow’s (2020) dataset of 80 early childhood pre-service teachers. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (supplemented with McDonald’s omega), and factor structure was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with promax rotation. Results indicated good-to-excellent reliability across the three subscales (α = .864–.942) and adequate sampling adequacy for factor analysis (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin [KMO] = .888; Bartlett’s test significant, p < .001). The factor analysis broadly supported the three-dimensional structure, although self-efficacy items involving more abstract/procedural tasks showed weaker loadings than those framed in narrative contexts. These findings provide preliminary evidence supporting aspects of construct validity, particularly the internal structure of the instrument. Practically, the framing-related pattern suggests that teacher-education programs using this instrument should interpret — and eventually score — self-efficacy items differently depending on how mathematical tasks are framed, rather than treating self-efficacy as a single undifferentiated score.
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