Examining Measurement invariance for Parental Creativity Nurturing Behaviour (PCNB) across middle-East nations and South-east Asian Nations

Abstract

Ekta Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Muhammad Al-Kudah, Angham Al-Tamimi

Examining the Usefulness of the Psychological instruments / scales /framework which are developed in one nation for other nations is vital step in establishing generalization for use across nations of  Parental creativity nurturing behavior , Who are going to play most important role to develop Creative potential of children in 21st centrury.

However The instrument used to measure the parental creativity nurturing behavior and the theoretical constructs of the subject exhibits good cross nation equivalence of PCNB scale.

We reviewed various forms of measurement invariance for sample of parents , systematically, scientifically analysed, and statistically proved the measurement invariance ,across gender, age, culture, Language of the PCNB scale by comparing MEN and SEAN. This would benefit the Parents in middle east Nations (MEN) and South-east Asian Nations (SEAN). It will help parents to monitor their Creativity Nurturing Behavior (CNB) and take appropriate steps to enrich PCNB and play important role to help their child lead creativity accompanied life in 21st century. It will also approve the wider use and acceptability of the PCNB scale.

Method: Based on data of 931 { 423 & 508 parents respectively from South East Asian Nations(SEAN, representing Nation-India) and Middle East Nations (MEN, representing nation Jordon)} ,we used PCNB Scale(Sharma and Sharma 2021) that focused on 4 major factors that are crucial to examine and assess validity and reliability of PCNB scale. Multisampling confirmatory factor analysis was done to identify the factors and then the model fit for the construct of PCNB. The selection of India as representative nation for Southeast Asian Nations and Jordon as representative nation of Middle East nations was done randomly as both are emerging educational nations in respective geographical areas in Asia.

Results: The scale was found to be both valid and reliable with an excellent model fit with composite reliability (CR-SEAN) (CR factor 1=0.818 , CR factor 2=0.872 , CR factor3=0.670 , CR factor4=0.729), factor loading (>0.4 ), Cronbach Alpha(SEAN)=0.712 and model fit indices SEAN (comparative fit index(CFI)=0.967,Chi-square/df=1.492, GFI=0.942,TLI=0.95,RFI=0.861,RMSEA=0.059,IFI=0.961,SRMR=0.051 ).This suggests four factors model ,supporting the one-dimensional reliable construct of PCNB at baseline.

The scale was found to be both valid and reliable with an excellent model fit with composite reliability (CR-MEN) (CR factor 1=0.955 , CR factor 2=0.950 , CR factor 3=0.918 , CR factor 4=0.857), factor loading (>0.4 ) , Cronbach Alpha(MEN)=0.57 and model fit indices MEN (comparative fit index (CFI)=0.967,Chi-square/df=1.492, GFI=0.942,TLI=0.95, RFI=0.861, RMSEA=0.059, IFI=0.961,SRMR=0.038 ).This suggests four factors ,supporting the one-dimensional reliable construct of PCNB at baseline.

Discussions: PCNB is a valid and reliable measure of creativity nurturing behavior of parents and thus enables a comprehensive evaluation of measure of creativity nurturing behavior in Parents. This scale would prove to be an important tool for assessment of parental creativity nurturing behavior and their parenting style. Once put to use on large-scale, would benefit and help the parents to identify their behavior and nurture creativity behavior in children well before they join the school, and would continue to nurture creativity even during the schooling and further. Basically this would help parents identify the need to get counseled (trained) formally or informally to nurture creativity in their child.

Significance: PCNB Scale is a valid and reliable scale that would be globally useful for assessment of Parents creativity nurturing behavior (PCNB) across gender, countries, cultures, and age. This scale is available with strong psychometric properties and can prove useful for planning parent counseling programs to help them exhibit creativity nurturing behavior, and thus contribute to society by identifying parents to nurture creativity in children for finding creative solutions to different problems and challenges that world faces in the times to come. This could also help to develop new teaching methods and pedagogies in the direction of creativity nurturing. This research will add to Current sciences of Creativity nurturing behavior of parents.