VALIDATION OF AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY, HO CHI MINH CITY
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Academic performance in medical students is influenced by complex multifactorial elements. However, there is a lack of standardized instruments in Vietnam to evaluate these factors, particularly for Traditional Medicine students. Objectives: To validate the internal consistency reliability and factor structure of an instrument measuring factors affecting academic performance. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 822 Traditional Medicine students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City from March to July 2025. The instrument, initially comprising 10 scales, was evaluated using Cronbach’s Alpha and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation. Results: The validation results demonstrated high reliability, with Cronbach's Alpha coefficients for the 10 scales ranging from 0.735 to 0.924. EFA extracted 10 factors, explaining 67.52% of the cumulative variance. The observed variables showed good convergence; however, the "Learning Methods" scale split into two distinct structural components, reflecting different aspects of learning strategies. Conclusion: The validated instrument meets the requirements for reliability and structural validity and is suitable for use in medical education research in Vietnam.
Keywords
Scale validation, Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis, medical education, academic performance
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