Reading Preferences Inventory [RPI-42]

Reading Preferences Inventory [RPI-42]

Description

The Reading Preferences Inventory [RPI-42] is a 42-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the reading preferences of school-aged children. It covers a wide range of reading materials, including stories, comics, mysteries, science, biographies, adventures, and newspapers. Responses are provided on a four-point scale ranging from 1 = “I don’t like it at all” to 4 = “I like it very much.”

Purpose

The RPI-42 aims to assess students’ reading interests and preferences, particularly at the elementary-school level, in order to identify reading patterns and support the development of positive attitudes toward reading.

Scoring

Each item is rated on a four-point scale. Scores can be calculated as sums or mean values for individual thematic categories or across all 42 items, depending on the purpose of the assessment.

Psychometric Properties

Factor analysis of the Greek adaptation identified 10 factors explaining 51.62% of the total variance. The overall internal consistency was Cronbach’s α = 0.86, while reliability coefficients for individual factors ranged from 0.50 to 0.78, with the tenth factor showing a lower value of 0.38.

Applications

The RPI-42 can be used in educational and research settings to examine reading preferences in relation to variables such as gender, age, and academic performance. Its findings may support the development of targeted educational strategies aimed at promoting reading engagement and positive reading habits.

References

Link, B. R. (1984). Reading attitudes and interests of gifted and talented children in the middle grades. Central Michigan University.

Malafantis, K. A. (2005a). The child and reading: Attitudes, preferences, habits. Athens: Grigoris.

Malafantis, K. A. (2005b). Reading preferences of sixth-grade elementary school students. Paedagogiki Epitheorisi (Educational Review), 39, 134–150.