The validity and reliability of the Tertiary Student Values Scale (TSVS)

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Educational Psychology
• Sociology of Higher Education

Background:

• Value orientations are crucial for understanding student behavior and academic success.
• Assessing these values in diverse tertiary student populations requires psychometrically sound instruments.
• The Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck model provides a framework for understanding cultural value orientations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the factorial composition of the Tertiary Student Values Scale (TSVS).
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the TSVS in a sample of Australian undergraduate dental students.
• To confirm the instrument's ability to measure value orientations across diverse student groups.

Main Methods:

• A 68-item questionnaire, based on the Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck model, was administered to 364 dental students.
• Factor analysis (maximum likelihood with oblimin rotation) was used to explore the construct's factorial composition.
• Internal consistency of the 15 subscales was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis confirmed the hypothesised 15-dimension structure of the TSVS.
• The 15 identified factors were found to be independent and reliable for group comparisons.
• Most subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >= 0.55), with one exception (alpha = 0.40).

Conclusions:

• Value orientation is a complex but quantifiable construct measurable across multiple dimensions.
• The TSVS is a psychometrically valid instrument for assessing value orientations in tertiary students.
• Further refinement of the TSVS can enhance its utility for educational policy and program design for diverse student populations.