Psychometric Analysis of the WoEm-M Scale to Evaluate Women Empowerment in the Ecuadorian University Environment

Abstract

Women’s empowerment embodies being acknowledged as rights-bearing individuals. Despite progress in women’s rights, disparities persist across various domains. This study seeks to validate a psychometric scale of 31 items across seven factors: participatory empowerment, temerity, external influences, independence, social satisfaction, confidence, and equality. The aim is to assess women’s empowerment within the university setting. The research was conducted in a cross-sectional, non-experimental manner, with the voluntary participation of 1478 university students from four higher education institutions in Zone 4 of Ecuador. Data was analyzed using inferential statistics, encompassing exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that the empowerment measurement tool could consist of 24 items grouped into six factors, and this model exhibited a good fit. The validation process enabled us to pinpoint the principal factor explaining women’s empowerment in higher education.