Abstract:

This study is one of the first studies aiming to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool for determining the nutrition education self-efficacy of preschool teachers. The participants of the study are composed of 285 preschool teachers. In the process of developing the scale, firstly a 5-point Likert type draft scale consisting of 83 items was created depending on the conceptual framework of relevant literature. The final form of the scale was given after the preliminary application of the 43-item draft scale form and evaluating the comprehensibility of the items after the expert opinion was sought to ensure the content validity. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett Test were conducted to determine whether the data were suitable for factor analysis. After KMO and Bartlett Test suitability of the data for factor analysis is considered to be perfect and data related to the measurement tool come from a multivariate normal distribution is accepted, Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to determine the construct validity of the Preschool Teacher Nutrition Education Self-Efficacy Scale. After the factor analysis, a scale form consisting of 28 items under a single factor was obtained. Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient was calculated for reliability analysis and was found to be .98. As a result of the research, it was determined that the Preschool Teacher Nutrition Education Self-Efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable data collection tool for evaluating the self-efficacy of preschool teachers regarding nutrition education. The scale developed in the study is thought to provide guidance in supporting preschool teachers to develop their self-efficacy for nutrition education and shed light for further studies on the subject.

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