Constructing and Validating a Scale to Measure the Role of Factors Affecting EFL learners’ Moral Competency

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to design a new scale to measure the role of factors affecting the moral judgment competency of EFL learners (FAMC) and examine the construct validity as well as the criterion related validity of this newly designed test. Four hundred EFL students participated in this study. They firstly completed MJ test, developed and validated by Lind (1998). In the second phase of the study, those participants who obtained high and low C-scores in MJ test were invited for a semi-structure interview. Interviews revealed four main factors influencing MJ scores. Items of this scale were designed considering these four main factors and scrutinizing the relevant literature. Then, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to examine the construct validity of the FAMC test. The results have shown that the underlying factors of the test are what the test-designers claim to be. The results have revealed that four factors represent the underlying structure of this scale. To examine the criterion related validity of this newly designed instrument, correlation coefficient test was run between the findings of this scale and those of Moral Judgment test. Results revealed acceptable criterion related validity for this test. Finally, results were discussed, and implications were provided in the context of English language teaching.