Validation of the multidimensional attitudes toward preschool inclusive education scale in the bilingual context of Québec.
Bilingual settings change how people answer inclusion attitude items, so use the new four-factor MATPIES in Québec-style programs.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mejia-Cardenas et al. (2022) tested the MATPIES attitude scale in Québec. The province flips between French and English every day. The team wanted to know if the original three-factor scale still made sense there. They gave the survey to educators and parents in both languages.
What they found
The old three-factor structure did not fit. A new four-factor, 15-item version fit better. The new version held together well in both French and English.
How this fits with other research
Petry et al. (2010) saw the same thing in the Dutch MIPQ. The Dutch team also had to drop factors to make the scale work.
Straccia et al. (2014) and Bureau et al. (2024) show the bright side. Their French checklists kept the original factor count and still looked good.
The difference is setting. Claudio and Raven gave their scales to single-language users. Catalina and Katja worked in bilingual or cross-cultural spots. Mixed languages seem to shuffle how people answer attitude items.
Why it matters
If you use MATPIES in any bilingual program, switch to the four-factor French-English version. Check your numbers before you trust the old three-factor scores. This small step keeps your attitude data clean and your inclusion plans on track.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Preschool Inclusive Education Scale (MATPIES; Lohmann et al., 2016) seeks to assess preschool educators' attitudes toward inclusive education. It has been used in wide range of settings and with varied populations, but there has been a lack of systematicity in translation, adaptation, and validation procedures associated with it. For instance, its use in French or in a French-English bilingual context such as Québec (Canada) has yet to be validated. AIMS: The present study documented the translation and validation process for the MATPIES in bilingual early childhood education settings. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The MATPIES was completed by 211 French- and English-speaking early childhood educators and administrators in the province of Québec, Canada. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the original factor structure for the MATPIES was not replicated within the bilingual Québec sample.Exploratory analyses suggested a four-factor structure encompassing 15 items, which had good internal consistency (α = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The factor structure of the MATPIES may vary across populations. This study underscores the importance of evaluating instruments in contexts that differ from those in which they were originally constructed to ensure the validity of results.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104258