Assessing Measurement Invariance of the Student Personal Perception of Classroom Climate Across Different Ethnic Groups

Abstract

The class climate is acknowledged as being related to student learning. Students learn more in classrooms that are supportive and caring. However, there are few class climate instruments at the elementary school level. The aim of the current study was to assess the measurement invariance of a recently developed scale in a different context (New Zealand) from where it was developed (the United States) and across different ethnic groups. A total of 1,924 elementary school students (963 males and 961 females) participated. Students completed the Student Personal Perception of Classroom Climate (SPPCC). Results of the invariance tests of the SPPCC across four ethnic samples (New Zealand European, Māori, Pasifika, and Asian) indicated that the SPPCC represented the same four factors in classroom climate for each of these groups (configural invariance). Results also revealed that full metric invariance was supported although only partial scalar invariance was achieved because of a lack of invariance in the thresholds for five items. Therefore, this study provided empirical support for the SPPCC when used within a new context and with different ethnic groups. Future studies to enhance the usability of the SPPCC are discussed.

Evaluating the psychometric quality of school connectedness measures: A systematic review

“…Table 4 summarises characteristics of 15 measures that met inclusion criteria and articles reporting on psychometric properties. All measures were developed and validated with typically developing students from a range of ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds in the United States, except for one, which was developed in New Zealand [ 54 ]. The majority of measures were developed with an adolescent sample (12 to 18 years), with only a small number of measures developed and validated with students under the age of 12 years [ 55 , 56 ].…”

“…Five studies reporting on hypothesis testing, described findings for more than one hypothesis. Of the 15 included instruments, six were revisions of earlier versions of measures of school connectedness (i.e., SEI– 35 item [ 36 ], SEI– 33 item [ 57 , 60 , 61 ], SEI—Elementary [ 55 ], Developmental Study Centre’s School Climate Survey—Abbreviated Version [ 59 ], SPPCC—Adapted [ 54 ], SCM—Adapted [ 69 ]). These measures were evaluated separately as the item pool and response format of these measures had been changed.…”

“…Interestingly, however, the SEI [ 36 ] addressed the most (i.e., 12 of 15) school connectedness components of any measure included in the review; suggesting that the SEI [ 36 ] not only has promising psychometrics but encompasses a broader range of school connectedness components. The school connectedness measure with the poorest psychometric properties was the SPPCC [ 54 ], reporting on three of six psychometric properties; scoring strong negative ratings for internal consistency and structural validity, and conflicting results for content validity. Across all measures and measurement properties there were a number of conflicting ratings (14%), many indeterminate ratings (41%), and missing data (36%); suggesting more research is required to determine the psychometric qualities of these measures.…”

Internal Structure, Reliability and Invariance across Gender Using the Multidimensional School Climate Scale PACE-33

“…Moreover, even here, only one study examined all four types of invariance—i.e., configural, metric, scalar and strict—which together make up measurement invariance [ 17 ]. The majority of studies confirm configural, metric and scalar invariance, either fully [ 5 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ] or partially [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Others, however, confirm partial configural, metric and strict invariance [ 29 ], or only configural invariance [ 30 ].…”

Measurement Invariance of the Student Personal Perception of Classroom Climate Scale (SPPCC) in the Turkish Context

“…One class climate instrument, the SPPCC, was developed recently in the US following a thorough review of what was available at the time (Rowe, Kim, Baker, Kamphaus, & Horne, 2010). In a recent study (Rubie-Davies, Asil & Teo, 2015), the researchers tested the measurement invariance of the SPPCC in the New Zealand context and across four different ethnic groups: New Zealand European, indigenous Māori, Pacific Island and Asian students. Therefore, the researchers measured the responses of three collectivist groups and one Western group.…”