Causal Attribution Scale for Elementary and Middle School: Convergent validity evidence study with achievement goals

Abstract

The assessment of intrapersonal causal attributions through instruments with adequate psychometric parameters is a resource to know the motivation to learn of elementary school students. In this study, we investigated the convergent validity evidence for the Causal Attributions Evaluation Scale for Elementary and Middle School Students (Escala de Avaliação das Atribuições de Causalidade para Alunos do Ensino Fundamental [EAVAT-EF]), and we verified part of the self-regulation's cyclic model process. We used the EAVAT-EF and the Learning Motivation Assessment Scale (Escala de Avaliação da Motivação para a Aprendizagem [EMAPRE-EF]) that assesses achievement goals. The study sample consisted of 935 students from Brazilian public schools (3rd to 9th grades). Pearson's moment-product indices indicated statistically significant correlations between the EAVAT-EF and EMAPRE-EF factors. Structural equation modeling indicated that EAVAT-EF predicted EMAPRE-EF factors (48%, learning goal; 14% performance-approach goal; 37%, performanceavoidance goal). The convergent validity evidence obtained for EAVAT-EF will

Psychometric Properties of the Causal Attributions Scale for Reading Comprehension

“…In the context of doing poorly in this cognitivelinguistic skill, effort and task difficulty were related to controllability. This result indicates that the connection between attributed causes and psychological dimensions can demonstrate students' notions of responsibilities and merit regarding success and failure (Almeida & Guisande, 2010;Ferraz et al, 2020). The fact that associations between ability and psychological dimensions are identified in situations of success and failure can indicate the students' inaccuracy in their evaluation.…”

“…The construction of the eac-cl was based on previous research on intrapersonal causality attributions (e.g., Ferraz et al, 2020;Graham, 2020;Weiner, 2010;Zimmerman & Risemberg, 1997). Ferraz and Santos (2019) elaborated on two hypothetical situations to assess the students' causal attributions for cases involving excellent and poor performance in reading comprehension.…”

“…In the study by Wolters et al (2013), self-efficacy and achievement goals were predictors of causal attributions. In Ferraz et al (2020), causal attributions for successful situations were predictors of the learning goal and performance-avoidance goals. In turn, attributing causes for failure predicted achievement goals and the performance-avoidance goal.…”

“…This investigation was based on the analysis of the evidence of content validity, validity based on internal structure, and validity based on the relationship with other variables: achievement goals and self-efficacy (American Educational Research Association [aera], American Psychological Association [apa], & National Council on Measurement in Education [ncme], 2014). The selection of constructs for studying the psychometric quality of the eac-cl is due to self-efficacy and achievement goals being motivational constructs linked to the srl process (Ferraz et al, 2020;Frijters et al, 2018;Wolters et al, 2013) and intrapersonal causality attributions (Mahmoodi, & Karampour, 2019;Yau, 2021). Additionally, we hypothesized the existence of relationships between these constructs based on previous studies (Ferraz et al, 2020;Frijters et al, 2018;Vezzani et al, 2018;Wolters et al, 2013).…”

“…The selection of constructs for studying the psychometric quality of the eac-cl is due to self-efficacy and achievement goals being motivational constructs linked to the srl process (Ferraz et al, 2020;Frijters et al, 2018;Wolters et al, 2013) and intrapersonal causality attributions (Mahmoodi, & Karampour, 2019;Yau, 2021). Additionally, we hypothesized the existence of relationships between these constructs based on previous studies (Ferraz et al, 2020;Frijters et al, 2018;Vezzani et al, 2018;Wolters et al, 2013). It is essential to point out that Brazil still has no instrument to assess the attributions of causality directed toward reading comprehension.…”