The Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Scale of Academic Learning Difficulties among Pupils of Grades 1-6 in Amanat Al Asema (Sana’a)

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the validity of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the scale of academic learning difficulties among Basic Education pupils (1-6) in Yemen, whose ages ranged from 5 to 12. To test the validity of the proposed model, using AMOS program, the scale was administered to 450 male and female pupils of grades (1-6) selected from 8 schools in Amanat Al Asema. This was done with the help of teachers and in collaboration with a trained team to observe the pupils’ difficulties. The CFA results showed quality of conformity of data of the theoretical proposed model of the scale with its five principal components, based on different indicators of quality conformity. These include: (CFI)= 0.94; (GFI)= 0.84; (RMSEA) = 0.064; (RMR)= 0.041; (IFI)= 0.94; (TLI)= 0.93; (PCFI)= 0.85; (PGFI)= 0.72. The study also presented evidence of the validity and reliability of the scale which was high, including the complex reliability (CR); validity of the CFA, covering its five dimensions; and the relevance of CRF for assessing academic learning difficulties among Basic Education pupils and for studies concerned with such issues.

Keywords: academic learning difficulties, structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis, basic education pupils.