Validation of the Attributional-Style Academic Questionnaire for evaluation in the admission to higher education

Abstract

Universities seek to characterize their students to prevent them from dropping out of school and facilitate completion of their studies. Among the variables diagnosed and related to students’ performance, success and school career are cognitive-motivational variables: self-esteem, self-concept, and motivation (Pool-Cibrián & Martínez-Guerrero, 2013). These are built upon another variable: the attributional style, or how to define how students interpret what happens to them; that is, the way in which a student interprets the good and the bad things that happen to them in school or in relation to their learning (Petri and Govern, 2015).

The aim of this study was to adapt the Academic Attributional Style Questionnaire (CEAA) in a sample of pre-university students. The instrument was adapted and applied to applicants to enroll in a university of Mexico City. The results show that the questionnaire items were organized into four factors, coinciding with Peterson et al.’s (1982) proposal, the empirical foundation of the instrument. It was found that the factors have a Cronbach's alpha of > .75. Future research could test its concurrent validity, test other factorial models, and determine its predictive validity regarding school performance.