Brief Description

The Teacher Rating of School Adjustment Scale is based on the theoretical view that school adjustment is a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by social and emotional factors. It includes 52 items and assesses five dimensions: cooperativeness, quality of the teacher-child relationship, spontaneous participation in school activities, positive feelings toward school, and behavioral self-regulation.

Purpose

The scale is designed to measure the school adjustment of first-grade primary school children, as perceived by the teacher. Its aim is to identify potential difficulties or strengths in the child’s integration and functioning within the school environment.

Scoring Method

Teachers complete the scale by rating 52 statements on a four-point Likert scale, where 1 means “never” and 4 means “often.” Subscale scores are calculated by averaging the responses within each dimension.

Validity

Factor analysis showed that the scale has good construct validity, confirming that the five dimensions represent real and distinct aspects of school adjustment.

Reliability

Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, with values ranging from 0.69 to 0.94 across the subscales, indicating high to satisfactory reliability.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data from the scale can be analyzed using means, group comparisons, and factor analysis. It is used for early identification of adjustment difficulties, understanding students’ educational and social needs, and supporting informed educational decision-making. The scale is suitable for research and clinical settings, as well as for promoting collaboration between school and family.

Key References

Birch, S., & Ladd, G. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and children’s early school adjustment. Journal of School Psychology, 35(1), 61–79.
Ladd, G. W., Buhs, E. S., & Seid, M. (2000). Children’s initial sentiments about kindergarten: Is school liking an antecedent of early classroom participation and achievement? Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 46(2), 255–279.
Sotiriou, A., & Zafeiropoulou, M. (2003). Changes in children’s self-concept during the transition from kindergarten to primary school. Psychologia, 10(1), 96–118.