Adaptation and preliminary validation evidences of the School Climate Questionnaire – Revised, Elementary and Middle School Version (SCS-MS)

Abstract

This study presents the procedures for adapting the School Climate Survey -Revised, Elementary and Middle School Version (SCS-MS) to the Brazilian context and demonstrates the first evidence of the validity of its use among elementary school students. Participants were 511 children (52,1 % girls) from Porto Alegre, between 3rd and 5th grade. Analysis of internal validity was performed by evaluating the factor structure of the instrument, and analysis of convergent validity by testing the correlation between the SCS-MS, social skills and childhood peer aggression. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) analysis were conducted. The results indicated that the structure provided in the ESEM analysis were more adequate than the original structure for this sample. ESEM provided satisfactory indices of fit for the model of six factors, including modifications in four factors. The overall score of the SCS-MS showed positive and moderate correlations with social skills and negative and moderate correlations with peer aggression. The results suggest that the SCS-MS is a measure that can be used to assess the students' perception of school climate in Brazilian schools, contributing to overcome the shortage of instruments in this context.

School Climate in the Brazilian school context: an integrative literature review

“…The work by Petrucci et al (2016) uses a six-dimensional definition of school climate: justice, order and discipline, parental involvement, resource sharing, student interpersonal relationships and studentteacher relationships (EMMONS et al, 2012apud PETRUCCI et al, 2016. The authors cite THAPA et al (2013( apud PETRUCCI et al, 2016, for whom the school climate is a complex and multidimensional construct that refers to different aspects of school life.…”

“…There is evidence, based on the studies found, that the school climate helps academic performance (AMARAL; CUNHA; SANTO, 2019) and promotes school adjustment and satisfaction with life, based on the improvement of mental health (PETRUCCI et al, 2016). These interactions, however, can also lead to negative results, such as violent behavior and depression (PETRUCCI et al, 2016) and the victimization of peers (AMARAL; CUNHA; SANTO, 2019).…”

“…The authors suggest, in their studies, different contributing factors in the perception of the school climate. Among them, the following characteristics are mentioned: gender and race, size of school, number of students with behavioral problems, interpersonal relationships between teachers and students, and between peers, institutional norms and objectives, and teaching and learning practices (PETRUCCI et al, 2016 ).…”

A Relevância Da Afetividade Nos Processos De Aprendizagem

“…Entender como acontece a relação no processo de aprendizagem e qual a influência da relação professor-aluno. Nesse processo de investigação, foi considerada a perspectiva dos professores e alunos através de entrevistas, bem como do uso do questionário sobre o Clima Escolar, Adaptation and preliminary validation evidences of the School Climate Questionnaire -Revised, Elementary and Middle School Version (SCS-MS) (PETRUCCI et. al., 2016).…”

“…As escolas selecionadas para o estudo são localizadas no bairro de Botafogo, Zona Sul do Rio de Janeiro. Foram realizadas entrevistas com perguntas semiestruturadas e os alunos responderam ao Questionário Sobre o Clima Escolar, Adaptation and preliminary validation evidences of the School Climate Questionnaire -Revised, Elementary and Middle School Version (SCS-MS) (PETRUCCI et. al., 2016) em que foi possível observar pontos como: justiça; ordem e disciplina; envolvimento dos pais; troca de recursos; relações interpessoais dos alunos; e relação aluno-professor.…”