Psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the short form of the Quality Scale of Inclusive School Development (QU!S-S)

ABSTRACT

School inclusion is a reality in many countries around the world and most schools face the challenges of implementing inclusive education. A full inclusion model has been in place in Italy for five decades, but its actual application presents substantial differences between geographical areas, school levels, and individual schools. Thus, the availability of a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and easy-to-complete measure of school inclusion that can be used for evaluation, screening, and research purposes is crucial. In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the Quality Scale of Inclusive School Development-Short Form (QU!S-S) in a sample of 362 teachers from pre-school to 13th grade. The results supported the adequacy of the five-correlated-factor model of the original German version and the discriminant validity of the scales with respect to measures of professional self-efficacy and attitudes towards inclusive education. We also found different patterns of association of the scales with personal and job characteristics of the teachers. Overall, the results support the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the QU!S-S, which can be considered a valid and reliable tool for assessing the core dimensions of school inclusion in an Italian context.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive schools
• levels of school development
• school quality
• assessment

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

• SDG 4
• Quality education
• SDG 10
• Reduced inequalities

Acknowledgements

The Authors wish to thank Antonie Wiedemann for translating the Qu!S-S from German to Italian.

The authors also thank the Regional School Office which made the data collection possible and the teachers who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mirella Zanobini

Mirella Zanobini is full professor in developmental psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Genova in Italy. Her research interests include Intervention with children with autism; typical and atypical language acquisition in early childhood; the quality of school inclusion; literacy, reading and writing in pre-school and school contexts.

Carlo Chiorri

Carlo Chiorri is an associate professor in psychometrics at the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Genova in Italy. His research interests include the development and validation of psychometric methods and psychological tests, the application of advanced statistical methods, the assessment and measurement of normal and dysfunctional personality traits and cognitive abilities.

Paola Viterbori

Paola Viterbori is associate professor in developmental psychology at the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Genova in Italy. Her research interests include the development of executive function and self-regulatory skills in children with typical and atypical development and the quality of school inclusion.