Preliminary Psychometric Assessment of STEM Attitude Measure for U.S. High School Students With Disabilities

Abstract

This was the first study in which a psychometrically validated STEM measure, the “Student STEM” (S-STEM), was studied for HSSWD. This study also represented the first time a psychometrically validated STEM measure, the “Student STEM” (S-STEM), was studied for HSSWD. Data were collected from 229 HSSWD in a western state and analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha, McDonald’s Omega, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The Alpha and Omega results showed less internal consistency in HSSWD attitudes toward mathematics than their attitudes toward the other three S-STEM subscales. The EFA results showed preliminary indications of construct validity for the engineering and technology subscale. Limitations of the study are its modest sample size and some measurement imprecision. Implications of the study are further psychometric analyses of the S-STEM for HSSWD and educators focusing on increasing STEM opportunities for HSSWD.