The Development and Validation of the Metacognitive Awareness Scale for Middle School Students

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a psychometrically sound instrument to assess the metacognitive awareness of middle school students. A 5-point Likert-type instrument was developed to assess middle school students’ metacognitive knowledge and regulatory processes. The study was conducted with a total of 1009 students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with data from 475 students. Preliminary diagnostics supported factorability (KMO = .952; Bartlett’s χ² = 8377.999, p < .01). Based on statistical and theoretical criteria, 17 items were removed, yielding a unidimensional structure consisting of 29 items that explained 38.392% of the total variance. Factor loadings ranged between .469 and .644. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was subsequently performed with an independent sample of 534 students. Model fit indices (χ²/df = 2.770, CFI = .904, TLI = .899, IFI = .904, NFI = .870, RFI = .860, RMSEA = .048) indicated an acceptable fit for the proposed one-factor model. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s α = .942), and item–total correlations ranged from .467 to .651. Test–retest reliability, assessed with 126 students from a public middle school over a three-week interval, demonstrated excellent temporal stability (ICC(3,1) = .997, 95% CI [.996, .998]). Overall, the scale demonstrated strong validity and reliability and provides a developmentally appropriate instrument for assessing metacognitive awareness in middle school students.