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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5729-1580

Keywords

Modern measurement theory, item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, psychometrics, microaggression, microthreats

Abstract

Objective: Microthreatening behaviors are often prevalent in school settings and can accumulate to create an array of negative impacts on students and staff. There is a substantive need for a scale that can help to measure student perceived microthreats. The primary aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of one such scale—the SSP 2020 Microthreat Scale—using modern measurement theory methods. Method: Data used in this study were collected from sixth through ninth grade students in three schools in in the southeastern region of the United States. Schools were using the SSP 2020 compendium to gain a better understanding of their students' strengths and needs and to guide intervention choices. Results: We examined evidence for the adequacy of internal structure of the scale using CFA methods and assessed the reliability and precision of estimated scale scores using IRT methods. Further, we examined scale correlational relationships with other important conceptually related constructs. Scale performance in each of these areas was acceptable. Conclusion: These findings substantively contribute to the validity argument supporting the use of Microthreat Scale in schools. Further research is needed to examine how key factors and characteristics—e.g., gender, race, socioeconomic status, and cultural heritage—could drive differences in how students perceive microthreats.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Author Biography

Gerald J. Bean has an MSW from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Social Work from The Ohio State University. He currently teaches evidence-based practice and statistics to master’s and doctoral degree students at The Ohio State University College of Social Work, and action research methods to master’s degree students at The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology.

Natasha K. Bowen has an MSW and PhD in Social Work from the University of North Carolina. She currently teaches advanced courses in confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling at The Ohio State University College of Social Work. She has also provided numerous methods workshops at the annual conference of the Society for Social Work and Research and at schools of social work around the country.

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