Structural validity of Aiken's science attitude scale

The present study aimed to assess the structural validity of Aiken’s science attitude scale. Research method was kind of correlation studies with analysis of correlation and covariance matrix and population included all students in third grade guidance school in 2009-2010 in Tehran (134829 girls,141458 boys). Sample consists of 700 student (350 boy students and 350 girl students) was selected by multi-stage sampling. The data were collected through Aiken’s science attitude scale (1979) and the reliability of the scale was calculated by Alpha Coronbech coefficient as 0.887. The structural validity of the scale was investigated by exploratory factor analysis, conformity factor analysis and multi-group analysis. By exploratory factor analysis three factors (enjoy science learning, fear of science learning, value and importance of science learning) were derived from the Aiken’s science attitude scale. The result of conformity factor analysis suggests good fitness of presented model with data and therefore represent the structural validity of scale is desirable. Results of multi-group analysis suggests the standardized parameter values for observed variables of the factor of " enjoy science learning ", values of the factor correlation and reliability of scale for girl students are significantly more than boy students. The evidence related to structural validity of the Aiken’s Science Attitude Scale, confirmed the goodness of psychometric properties of this scale and offered using this suitable scale to assess students’ attitude toward science.