Developing a Measure of Students' Subjective Experience of Appreciation

• In Event: 58.084 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: 58.084-4 - Poster Session 2: Motivational and Affective Processes

Abstract

This study developed and refined a measure of appreciation (Brophy, 1999, 2008a, 2008b). Items were developed based on a previous qualitative study with undergraduates, who characterized their experiences of appreciation in terms of cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions. The initial measure had 45 items, 15 per dimension, and was included on an online survey of 488 undergraduates. Parallel analysis indicated that three factors be retained, mirroring the three theoretical dimensions. Ordinal exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis were used to eliminate misfitting items and refine the measure. The 28 item final measure had good reliability and initial evidence for its validity, but could benefit from adding more difficult and easier items and from validation in an independent sample.

Authors

• Megan Sanders, Colorado School of Mines

• Cristian Gugiu

• Lynley H. Anderman, The Ohio State University