Objective This study was intended to develop a "High-School Students' Version of the Daily Conversation Scale with Classroom Teachers" to measure the frequency of daily conversations between high-school students and their classroom teachers.Methods The study consisted of Surveys I and II. Survey I was intended to validate the structural validity and reliability of the "High-School Students' Daily Conversation Scale with Classroom Teachers (Prototype Version)." It measured the frequency of high-school students' daily conversations with classroom teachers using the prototype scale and employed confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory to assess the factor measurement model and item performance, respectively. Internal consistency was evaluated using McDonald's ω (omega) reliability coefficient. Study II was intended to validate the prototype scale through hypothesis testing. The survey assessed daily conversation frequency, teacher support perception, depression/anxiety, and the teacher-student relationship. Two models were constructed: one predicting the impact of daily conversation frequency on support perception and depression/anxiety and the other predicting the impact on the teacher-student relationship. It was hypothesized that both models would fit well, with daily conversation frequency positively associated with support perception and relationship, and depression/anxiety negatively associated with support perception and relationship.Result The sample analyzed in Survey I consisted of 1,394 students in grades 1-3. The results of confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and McDonald's omega reliability coefficient met the criteria. The sample for Survey II consisted of 1,688 students in grades 1-3. The results of the analysis supported the hypothesis.Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the prototype version of the scale was conceptually unidimensional and that the difficulty level of each item was well-balanced, indicating the successful development of a "High-School Students' Version of the Daily Conversation Scale with Classroom Teachers." By using this scale and examining the effects of the frequency of daily conversation with homeroom teachers on the psychology and behavior of high-school students, we believe that it will be possible to contribute to an understanding of primary prevention measures that homeroom teachers can take to address mental health problems among their high-school students. We believe that this scale will contribute to future school health activities in the field of public health.
Keywords: classroom teachers; daily conversation; high-school students; scale development.