The Faculty Emotions for Teaching and Research Questionnaire: Developing and Testing Multi-Item Measurement Scales

• In Event: Emotional Well-Being in Faculty: Construct Assessment and Motivational Antecedents

Abstract

Recent research has revealed university faculty experience a multitude of unique emotions that have powerful implications for their teaching and research (Hagenauer et al., 2016; Kordts-Freudinger, 2017; Trigwell, 2012). A critical limitation of past studies has been the utilization of single-item measures of emotions, which have restricted validity and reliability. Researchers have previously established multi-item emotion scales for university (Pekrun et al., 2011) and elementary students (Lichtenfeld et al., 2012), as well as schoolteachers (Frenzel et al., 2016), but not for faculty. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of newly created multi-item scales measuring faculty emotions for teaching and research. Such scales for faculty would allow researchers to better empirically test conceptual and theoretical models (e.g., Pekrun’s 2006 Control-Value theory of Emotions) to understand faculty motivation, performance, and well-being.

In late Fall 2019, 131 US faculty completed an online survey. Participants were 73% female, average age 45.1 (SD = 12.1), various ranks (full = 23.7%, associate = 32.8%, assistant = 28.2%, lecturer = 4.6%), and had average contractually expected efforts of 45.9% teaching, 25.5% research, 13.3% service (other = 11.3%). All participants were in Counselling Psychology based on an available sample, but also because they may be more aware of their emotions based on professional training. Measures included multi-item scales of eight emotions previously established as commonly experienced by faculty (enjoyment, pride, anxiety, frustration, boredom, disappointment, relief, satisfaction; Author, in press). The measured emotions captured each dimension of the valence (positive/negative) by activation (activating/deactivating) categorization, and were asked for both teaching and research. Each scale contained four items that measured one element the multi-component processes of emotions (affective, cognitive, motivational, physiological; Pekrun, 2005). Additional measures included faculty perceived control, value, and perceived success in both teaching and research.

The emotion scales had good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > .70), and approximated normal distributions (Skewness -1.0 to +1.0), with the exception of boredom (Table 1). Means indicated greater faculty pride, satisfaction, control, value, and success in teaching; alternatively, higher levels of anxiety, frustration, and disappointment for research (Figure 1). Confirmatory factor analysis results (Table 2) supported the scales’ internal validity: (1) acceptable goodness of fit in both the teaching and research domains following slight modifications, (2) superior fit in comparison to competing models, and (3) high variable loadings on the eight emotion latent variables in both teaching and research (AVEs > .50). Emotion intercorrelations (Table 3) were logical as positive and negative emotions related according to valence; however, some correlations were so high that unidimensionality was a concern (e.g., pride-satisfaction r = .98). Evidence of external validity (Table 4) included positive emotions positively correlating with control, value, and success; alternatively, negative emotions did not relate to control, and related negatively with value and success.

The multi-item emotions scales were found to be reliable and valid. Although further testing is needed, these scales can assist future researchers studying faculty emotions, which may be used as predictors of motivation and success, and for faculty interventions to improve performance.

Authors

• Robert H. Stupnisky, University of North Dakota

• Ashley Hutchinson, Ball State University

• Reinhard Pekrun, University of Essex

• Nathan C. Hall, McGill University

• Kara Brita Wettersten, University of North Dakota

• Chialin Chang, University of North Dakota