BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEED SATISFACTION IN ARABIC LEARNING - Development and validation of a new measure for Arabic learners in Japan

Abstract

The present study developedand validated a new 9-item measure called the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction of Arabic Learners Scale (BPNSALS). Thisscale was designed to assess the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness), which is central to self-determination theory(SDT), of Arabic learners in Japan. A total of 314 students taking Arabic courses in Japanese universities participated in astudy to examine the reliability and construct validity of the BPNSALS. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the BPNSALS items confirmedthe subscale structure corresponding to the three basic psychological needs. Each BPNSALS subscale displayedadequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and temporal stability over 4-weekperiod. The construct validity ofthe BPNSALSwas provided by supportfor the hypothesized relationshipswiththe different forms of Arabic learning motivation as proposed by SDT. In addition, the self-determination of motivation and Arabic learning outcomes, namely,satisfaction, subjective comprehension, and subjective achievementwere also considered. Based on the findings, the study concluded that the BPNSALS is a useful tool for assessing basic psychological need satisfaction ofArabic learners in Japan.