The Turkish Adaptation of the Mathematical Resilience Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

Abstract

Persistent in mathematical studies is an important element allowing students to be successful in their STEM careers, and there is a need for affective measurement instruments to assess persistence in mathematics in spite of problems. For this reason, this study aims to adapt the Mathematical Resilience Scale developed to assess resilience, which is described as having a positive attitude towards mathematics, to Turkish. The fitness of the factor structure of the scale consisting of three factors was investigated using the confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the scale and its factors was assessed using the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient. The reliability value was found to be .92, .80, .76, and .87 for the value factor, the struggle factor, the growth factor, and the entire scale, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis validated the factor structure of the scale, and the second-level confirmatory factor analysis was performed to show that the factors of the scale were components of resilience. As a result, it was found that the resilience consisted of three components, namely value, struggle, and growth, and the scale was capable of measuring mathematical resilience of undergraduate students validly and reliably.