Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory
Preschool teachers’ self-efficacy is essential to improve their professional development and the quality of early childhood education. This study adapted and validated the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE) based on the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES), in accordan...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Hao Lu Xiumin Li Kejian Li |
| author_facet | Hao Lu Xiumin Li Kejian Li |
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| description | Preschool teachers’ self-efficacy is essential to improve their professional development and the quality of early childhood education. This study adapted and validated the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE) based on the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES), in accordance with Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. Following a rigorous four-stage cross-cultural adaptation procedure, the 21-item SCPTSE was administered to 882 in-service preschool teachers from Zhejiang, Henan, and Shaanxi provinces in China (M age = 30.41, SD = 6.05). Both CTT and IRT frameworks were employed to evaluate the scale’s psychometric properties. Under CTT, the SCPTSE demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.980), and CFA supported a robust three-factor structure—instructional strategies, classroom management, and child engagement—with excellent model fit (RMSEA = 0.079; SRMR = 0.025; CFI = 0.953; TLI = 0.947; NFI = 0.945; IFI = 0.953; PNFI = 0.837; PGFI = 0.700). Under IRT, all three sub-scales demonstrated strong unidimensionality (H<sub>IS</sub> = 0.812, H<sub>CM</sub> = 0.800, H<sub>CE</sub> = 0.818), the SCPTSE’ items demonstrate excellent discrimination capabilities(all a > 1.70), overall reasonable difficulty(<i>b</i><sub>1</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>2</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>3</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>4</sub>), and balanced information distribution. Nevertheless, the relatively low-difficulty design (e.g., <i>b</i><sub>1</sub>) indicates room for improvement. Notably, cultural adaptation efforts ensured the scale’s contextual relevance to China’s preschool education system. The SCPTSE thus offers a valid, reliable, and culturally responsive tool for assessing self-efficacy of Chinese in-service preschool teachers and holds promise for informing targeted professional development and comparative international research. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-5c225aa7f76a47a2b5f57e9f77cf42302025-08-20T03:27:15ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-05-0115674110.3390/bs15060741Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response TheoryHao Lu0Xiumin Li1Kejian Li2College of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou 311231, ChinaCollege of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou 311231, ChinaCollege of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou 311231, ChinaPreschool teachers’ self-efficacy is essential to improve their professional development and the quality of early childhood education. This study adapted and validated the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE) based on the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES), in accordance with Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. Following a rigorous four-stage cross-cultural adaptation procedure, the 21-item SCPTSE was administered to 882 in-service preschool teachers from Zhejiang, Henan, and Shaanxi provinces in China (M age = 30.41, SD = 6.05). Both CTT and IRT frameworks were employed to evaluate the scale’s psychometric properties. Under CTT, the SCPTSE demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.980), and CFA supported a robust three-factor structure—instructional strategies, classroom management, and child engagement—with excellent model fit (RMSEA = 0.079; SRMR = 0.025; CFI = 0.953; TLI = 0.947; NFI = 0.945; IFI = 0.953; PNFI = 0.837; PGFI = 0.700). Under IRT, all three sub-scales demonstrated strong unidimensionality (H<sub>IS</sub> = 0.812, H<sub>CM</sub> = 0.800, H<sub>CE</sub> = 0.818), the SCPTSE’ items demonstrate excellent discrimination capabilities(all a > 1.70), overall reasonable difficulty(<i>b</i><sub>1</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>2</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>3</sub> < <i>b</i><sub>4</sub>), and balanced information distribution. Nevertheless, the relatively low-difficulty design (e.g., <i>b</i><sub>1</sub>) indicates room for improvement. Notably, cultural adaptation efforts ensured the scale’s contextual relevance to China’s preschool education system. The SCPTSE thus offers a valid, reliable, and culturally responsive tool for assessing self-efficacy of Chinese in-service preschool teachers and holds promise for informing targeted professional development and comparative international research.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/741self-efficacyChinese in-service preschool teacherscross-cultural adaptationpsychometric properties |
| spellingShingle | Hao Lu Xiumin Li Kejian Li Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory Behavioral Sciences self-efficacy Chinese in-service preschool teachers cross-cultural adaptation psychometric properties |
| title | Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory |
| title_full | Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory |
| title_fullStr | Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory |
| title_short | Adaptation and Validation of the Scale for Chinese Preschool Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (SCPTSE): Based on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory |
| title_sort | adaptation and validation of the scale for chinese preschool teachers self efficacy scptse based on classical test theory and item response theory |
| topic | self-efficacy Chinese in-service preschool teachers cross-cultural adaptation psychometric properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/741 |
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