Background/Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument with reliable and valid scores to assess fourth and fifth grade student attitude toward physical education. The survey was grounded in the Theory of Reasoned Action and framed by previous research in physical education.
Method The methods for validation of the survey included multiple phases: (a) elicitation study; (b) pilot study (N = 323); (c) content validity study; and (e) final study. Participants in the final study were 1344 fourth and fifth graders in 17 elementary schools. The iterative data analysis included PCA, EFA, CFA and SEM, and examination of alpha, all within the theoretical model.
Analysis/Results The final instrument has 16 items and data analysis suggested the data fit two models. The first, and stronger, reflects a two factor model that shows fourth and fifth grade student attitude to be influenced by cognition and affect (GFI = 0.9155, AGFI = 0.8885, RMR = 0.0432, RMSEA = 0.0749, Cronbach's alpha = 0.846 for cognitive factor and 0.871 for affective factor). The second model, marginally weaker, shows a four factor model with the same factors and teacher and curriculum as subfactors (GFI = 0.9184, AGFI = 0.8922, RMR = 0.043, RMSEA = 0.074, Cronbach's alpha cognition- teacher = 0.704, cognition- curriculum = 0.759, affective- teacher = 0.822 and affective- curriculum = 0.760).
Conclusions A survey, consistent with theory and other research, has been created that can assess upper elementary school student attitude toward physical education using either a two or four factor model.