Measuring the Professional Identity of Italian Teachers: The Development of the Teacher Role Identity Questionnaire (TRIQ)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Teacher professional identity is an important construct that may influence teachers’ self-perception and behavior. Analysis of the literature suggests that teachers hold multiple roles, but a clear shared definition and theory-based validated measures are lacking. Furthermore, few studies have assessed the relationship between teacher professional identity and work and health outcomes. This study aimed to develop and assess the validity of the Teacher Role Identity Questionnaire (TRIQ) in a sample of Italian teachers from the Lombardy region. A sample of 5725 middle- and high-school teachers was involved. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were performed. Based on a Role Identity theoretical perspective, a 13-item scale with three role identities was developed: Pedagogical, Promotional, and Traditional. Pedagogical role identity focuses on tasks related to the personal relationship between the teacher and students. Promotional role identity refers to tasks related to the promotion of competences and active learning opportunities. Traditional role identity refers to tasks related to transmitting information and evaluating the knowledge of students. This study confirmed the importance of distinguishing between different teacher roles when considering teacher professional identity.