Validation of a self-assessment survey on knowledge and perceptions of LGBTIQ+ student inclusion in education degree programs

Abstract

Introduction: the aim of this paper is to present the findings of the validation process of the Self-Assessment Questionnaire on University Students' Knowledge and Perceptions Regarding the Inclusion of LGBTIQ + Students. Method: this was an instrumental study. The reference population comprised students on bachelors', masters' and MEd degrees in Spanish education faculties. The pilot sample consisted of 334 people. For validation, construct validity was tested firstly with an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and subsequently with a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's Alpha was used to establish reliability. Findings: the EFA yielded three major factors for the Knowledge Scale and four for the Perceptions Scale, verifying their correspondence with the conceptual structure of the questionnaire. The CFA indicated a good fit for the model, with acceptable incremental fit measures (TLI, ILI, CFI: .90) and RMSEA and SRMR residuals (.06). Likewise, the parsimony indices were high (above .07). Reliability was found to be excellent (with values above .90) for all the scales studied. Conclusion: the Self-Assessment Questionnaire, in the light of the validation process carried out, constitutes a robust, reliable and valid instrument for determining education students' knowledge and perceptions of LGBTIQ + diversity and its inclusion in their academic-professional profiles.