Swahili version of the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties

Abstract

Introduction. The current focus of empirical studies demonstrates the significance of mastery motivation in child development, academic achievement and school success. Consequently, it is critical to have reliable and valid tools to measure this important variable accurately. The Preschool version of the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ) 18 has been validated in English, Hungarian, and Chinesem and translated to many other languages. This has opened cross-cultural and cross-ethnic studies among these countries. Method. In this study, we evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swahili version of the DMQ 18. Teachers and parents evaluated 397 preschool children recruited using a stratified random sampling technique from Kenya's counties. Results. Reliability was established by good internal consistency, construct reliability, test-retest and parallel forms reliability values. Factorial validity was proven by confirmatory factor analysis and this fitted the theoretical model quite well. Discussion and Conclusion. The Swahili Preschool Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire was valid and reliable for collecting data in the Kenyan context and that of East Africa. This version compared well with other versions such as Hungarian, Spanish, Turkish, Persian and Indonesian.