Analysis of the School Climate Scale in University Environments (ECEAU)

Abstract

[Objective] The aim of this paper is to verify the factorial structure of the School Climate Scale in University Environments (ECEAU) through structural equation models (SEM). [Methodology] A non-experimental cross-sectional study was carried out with a random sample of 381 students of the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA), to whom the ECEAU was applied. A SEM model was proposed to confirm the factor structure of the scale and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to provide the basis for an alternative SEM model with a different structure. The reliability of scales was determined using McDonald’s omega, and the goodness of fit indexes used for the SEM models were the RMSEA, the CFI, the TLI and the GFI. The analysis was carried out using R software. [Results] The reliability of the scales in both models was adequate (w >0.70), although the metrics in the proposed model produced better results. The AFE suggested a different structure for the ECEAU, keeping some dimensions of the original structure and modifying and eliminating others. The goodness of fit indexes in both models were almost identical, with RMSEA=0.02, CFI=0.99, TLI=0.99 and GFI=0.98, which provides supporting evidence for the factorial structures proposed. [Conclusions] The original structure of the ECEAU was confirmed, while the differences in the results of the estimation and rotation methods generated another equally valid factorial structure for measuring the school climate construct in this university, and could be applied to other similar contexts.

Keywords

• factor analysis
• higher education
• mathematics
• reliability
• school climate
• validity