Validation of Italian students' self-ratings on the SSIS SEL brief scales

Valeria Cavioni; Elisabetta Conte; Ilaria Grazzani; Veronica Ornaghi; Carmel Cefai; Christopher Anthony; Stephen N Elliott; Alessandro Pepe

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1229653

Validation of Italian students' self-ratings on the SSIS SEL brief scales

Front Psychol. 2023 Oct 5:14:1229653. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1229653. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Valeria Cavioni¹, Elisabetta Conte², Ilaria Grazzani², Veronica Ornaghi², Carmel Cefai³, Christopher Anthony⁴, Stephen N Elliott⁵, Alessandro Pepe²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Humanities, Literature, Cultural Heritage, Education Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
² "R. Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
⁴ School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
⁵ Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: Despite increasing interest in measuring social and emotional learning (SEL), there is a lack of European-validated tools for assessing the efficacy of SEL programs. The aim of this study was to validate an Italian version of the social skills improvement system (SSIS) SEL brief scales-student form.

Methods: Participants were 1,175 students (mean age: 11.02 years; SD: 2.42; range: 8-16 years; males: 46.8%) recruited at schools in Northern Italy.

Statistical analyses and results: Initial confirmatory factor analysis encountered a series of challenges, implying non-convergence of the original five-factor measurement model (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making) based on the Collaborative on Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) competency framework established with students in the United States. Further exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported a four-factor model that remained partially invariant across gender groups. The Italian version of the SSIS SEL brief scales was thus shown to be an efficient measurement tool for estimating social and emotional learning in students.

Discussion: We discuss the implications of findings in relation to selecting valid and reliable instruments for assessing children's and adolescents' SEL competencies, while considering the culturally-situated nature of the constructs under study.

Keywords: adolescents; children; gender invariance; measurement invariance; social and emotional learning; social skills improvement system SEL brief scales.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Erasmus+ KA3 (PROMEHS Project N°0.606689-EPP-1-2018-2-IT-EPPKA3-PI-POLICY) and the research funding 2020-CONT-0310 awarded to IG (University of Milano Bicocca).