Development of the attribution scale for behavioral problems in children with special educational needs: a...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Special Education
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Inclusive education in China is expanding, increasing the enrollment of children with special educational needs (CSEN) in mainstream schools.
• Identifying and intervening in behavioral problems among CSEN is a critical challenge for effective inclusive education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Attribution Scale for Behavioral Problems in Children with Special Educational Needs.
• To tailor the scale to the specific cultural context of China.

Main Methods:

• Multi-stage sampling of teachers from mainstream and special schools in Sichuan Province.
• Item pool generation through interviews, followed by pilot testing and formal surveys.
• Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on data from 195 and 328 valid responses, respectively.
• Reliability and validity testing using Cronbach's alpha, item-total correlations, and model fit indices.

Main Results:

• The finalized scale comprises 36 items across five factors: neurophysiological drivers, environmental-task adaptation, motivation-rule cognition, emotional-social interaction, and support system deficiencies.
• High internal consistency was demonstrated (Cronbach's alpha: 0.887–0.908).
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed excellent model fit (CFI=0.996, RMSEA=0.012).

Conclusions:

• The Attribution Scale for Behavioral Problems in Children with Special Educational Needs is a reliable and valid instrument.
• The scale provides a scientifically sound tool for assessing and intervening in behavioral issues of CSEN in Chinese inclusive education settings.