Investigating Teachers Attitudes about SEL and Implementation Infrastructure through an Exploratory Factor Analysis

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Methods, History, Theory

Abstract

Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are well known for their program effects by mitigating emotional distress and aggression while increasing prosocial behavior and positive attitudes (Durlak et al., 2011). Yet, even the strongest evidence-based programs face challenges (Jones et al., 2017), which may be because of inconsistencies in implementation (Durlak & DuPre, 2008). Previous research has investigated factors that may be associated with the quality of implementation and found that teachers' attitudes about SEL have substantial effects on implementation fidelity (Brackett et al., 2012). Additionally, implementation infrastructure (i.e., individual competencies, organizational processes, and administration) may support effective implementation (Fixsen, et. al, 2009; Metz, et. al, 2013; 2015). To date, these constructs have not been fully operationalized and used to support successful SEL implementation. In this study, we investigate the factor structure across two measures of teachers’ attitudes about SEL and their perceptions of school climate and administrative support.
The sample includes 76 schools and 384 early childhood educators in the Northeastern US state. Teachers varied in their race and ethnicity with most reporting 64% White or Caucasian, followed by 26% Black or African-American and 6% Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and multiracial. Teachers also reported as 35% Hispanic or Latino. Regarding education, 41% of the teachers reported holding a bachelor's degree, 19% an associate’s degree, 18% some college, 17% a graduate-school degree, and 6% a high school diploma, GED, or lower. Teachers averaged about 12 years of experience (SD = 8.96; 0-55).
Teachers’ attitudes about SEL were collected using the 22-item Teachers Attitudes About Social-Emotional Learning (TASEL) with a 6-point Likert-type anchoring (Schultz et al., 2010). Teachers’ perceptions of administrative supports and school climate were collected using the 24-item Readiness to Implement Social-Emotional Interventions (RISE) with a 5-point Likert-type anchoring (Wanless, 2014).
An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to investigate the underlying factor structure between TASEL and RISE using principal axis factoring and oblique Promax rotation. Eigenvalues, scree plots, and theory were used to decide on item retention and factors extracted (e.g., Domitrovich et al., 2019; Malthouse, 2001; Schonert-Reichl, 2017). The EFA revealed three reliable factors explaining 36% of the total variance (see Table 1): SEL Capacity (10 items, Composite Reliability [CR] = .86), SEL Culture (5 items, CR = .76), and Teacher SEL efficacy (6 items, CR = .70). Although all loadings were above .45, factors did not fully demonstrate convergent validity by way of Average Variance Extracted (AVEs) between 0.29 and 0.39 but did demonstrate discriminant validity with AVEs greater than shared interfactor variance, .01-.28, ps < .05.
Despite growing support for SEL, implementation science lacks literature and tools to investigate SEL implementation. Reliable and valid measurement is critical for advancing implementation research and evidence-based practice. Findings highlight what constitutes a school's readiness to change and inform future research to support high-quality SEL implementation.

Group Authors

Tessa McNaboe, Irem Korucu, Craig Bailey

Authors

• Tessa McNaboe, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Irem Korucu, Yale University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Craig S. Bailey, Yale School of Medicine
  Non-Presenting Author