G-3621

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of Academic Disengagement Scale Among University Students

 Amirmohammad Azizzadeh ¹ © ℗, Ehsan Mirzaaghazadeh ¹, Siavash Azimi Nasab Peyvasti ¹, Mahasti Alizadeh ², Shirin Ahmadnia ³   

 
Abstract

Introduction: Academic disengagement is a critical issue in higher education, often leading to poor academic performance and student attrition. To effectively identify and support at-risk students, it is essential to validate this measurement tool in different populations. This study aimed to provide the reliability and validity measurements of the Academic Disengagement Scale for use with Persian-speaking university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2023 academic year. A sample of 200 medical students (mean age = 22.34 years; 59.5% female) was recruited via convenience sampling. This 8-item instrument is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Never to 4 = Always), where higher scores indicate greater academic disengagement. Psychometric properties were evaluated using internal consistency analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Construct validity was established by assessing convergent and discriminant validity. Analyses were performed using SPSS (v. 27) and AMOS (v. 25). Ethical and methodological approval was obtained from the institutional review board (IRB ID: IR.TBZMED.REC.1401.905). Results: The overall internal consistency of the 8-item scale was high (Cronbach's α = 0.829). The data were suitable for factor analysis, as indicated by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of 0.813 and a significant Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (χ²(28) = 569.226, p 0.001). Based on scree plot evaluation and eigenvalues 1, EFA with Varimax rotation yielded a clear two-factor structure, which we termed "Behavioral Disengagement" (6 items regarding class attendance, quality of work, and in-class attention or intoxication; α = 0.817) and "Withdrawal Disengagement" (2 items concerning thoughts of dropping out; α = 0.800). This two-factor model was subsequently confirmed by CFA, which demonstrated an excellent fit to the data: CMIN/DF = 1.376, CFI = 0.987, SRMR = 0.038, and RMSEA = 0.043. The analysis also supported the scale's construct validity, with Composite Reliability (CR) values of 0.823 and 0.800, and Average Variance Extracted values of 0.452 and 0.667 for the two factors, respectively. Conclusion: The results confirm that the adapted Academic Disengagement Scale is a reliable and valid instrument. It effectively captures two distinct dimensions of behavioral and withdrawal disengagement within the university student population. This tool provides a valuable resource for educators and researchers to screen for academic disengagement and implement timely, targeted interventions. Furthermore, it can serve as a robust outcome measure for studies investigating student well-being and mental health.

Keywords: Academic Disengagement, Factor Analysis, Psychometric Properties, Scale Validation, Medical Education