Validation of an instrument that measures contextual factors related to school engagement

Contextual factors can have a significant impact on the configuration of the educational trajectory, as well as on the construction of school engagement. The objective of this study was to validate an instrument for measuring contextual factors that can influence the school engagement that children and adolescents have with their studies. The scale was applied to 403 students of basic/primary and middle/secondary education. The validation process included homogeneity analysis and exploratory factor analysis, carried out with half of the sample. Eighteen items were extracted, grouped into three contextual factors (families, teachers and peers). This structure was confirmed with the second half of the sample by confirmatory factor analysis. The model of three correlated factors presented good levels of fit to the data and adequate reliability. The incidence of these contextual factors on school engagement and on risk factors for dropping out of school is discussed.