Parents’ attitudes toward mathematics and Home Numeracy Experiences Questionnaire: evidence for factor structure, reliability, construct validity and measurement invariance in a sample of preschoolers with mild intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This study aims to validate a parent rating questionnaire of Home Numeracy Experiences (HNE) for the assessment of the frequency of the literacy and numeracy activities that parents use with their children with disabilities. Additionally, this study aims to provide evidence for reliability and validity of the parental attitudes toward mathematics and reading scale (PATM) (LeFevre et al. 2009). The sample of Study 1 comprised 60 couples, while the sample of Study 2 comprised 127 couples. All of them had a child with disabilities aged between 4 to 7 years old we performed six exploratory factor analyses. In Study 2, we performed CFA to confirm the proposed factor structures for the above measures (benchmarks: 1-factor model: χ2=49.423, p = 0.313 > 0.05, x2/df = 1.24; GFI = 0.92; AGFI = 0.87; SRMR = 0.05; CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.05 – direct literacy activities: 1-factor model: x2= 6.128, p = 0.412 > 0.05, x2/df = 0.34; GFI = 0.91; AGFI = 0.88; SRMR = 0.03; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.06 – fine motor skills: 2-factor model: x2=88.436, p = 0.117 > 0.05, x2/df =1.47; GFI = 0.92; AGFI = 0.89; SRMR = 0.02; CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.05 – general skills: 2-factor model: x2=76.020, p = 0.432 > 0.05, x2/df = 1.81; GFI = 0.90; AGFI = 0.88; SRMR = 0.03; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.05 and numeracy-related activities: 4-factor model: x2=186.104, p = 0.516 > 0.05, x2/df = 1.55; GFI = 0.90; AGFI = 0.87; SRMR = 0.05; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.06 and parent’s/caregiver’s attitudes toward mathematics: 3-factor model: x2=74.250, p = 0.207 > 0.05, x2/df = 1.65; GFI = 0.93; AGFI = 0.89; SRMR = 0.06; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.03). No floor-ceiling effects were observed. Assessment of measurement invariance provided us with strong evidence that the proposed structure is both meaningful for mothers and fathers. A good fit of the data suggested the assessment of all nested invariance models. Results suggested that the Greek adaptation of the Parents’ Attitudes Toward Mathematics and Home Numeracy Experiences Questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure.