University connectedness among students and its measurement

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyze the term of university connectedness and to prepare the Polish adaptation of the University Connectedness Scale – a tool for measuring university connectedness among students. The psychometric characteristics of the Polish version of the scale, named “Skala Poczucia Akademickiej Wspólnoty” (SPAW), were examined in a sample of 720 students. The structure of the SPAW was tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The SPAW includes 18 items making up two subscales: support and belonging. Correlations between university connectedness and other variables support the diagnostic validity of the SPAW. The scale has both a good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Overall, the SPAW is a reliable and valid tool which can be used to measure students’ university connectedness both for scientific and diagnostic purposes.