Psychometric validation of an academic engagement scale in university students from Ecuador and Peru

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of a scale designed to measure academic engagement, based on the analysis of a sample composed of 667 university students from Ecuador and Peru. The Spanish version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-S 9) is used for data gathering. A robust estimation method is applied to assess the factorial structure of the instrument used. The results show that the two-factor model presents a superior fit compared to the single-factor and three-factor solutions, both at the level of each country and globally. Therefore, it is determined that the bifactor structure constitutes the most appropriate representation of the construct assessed. It is concluded that the UWES-S 9 instrument demonstrates adequate psychometric properties, supporting its applicability in the countries of Ecuador and Peru.