Enhancing family involvement assessment in inclusive preschool education: insights from a Serbian validation study of the family involvement questionnaire

In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4.2 (SDG4.2), this study aimed to examine the factor structure and internal consistency of the adapted Family Involvement Questionnaire (FIQ) within the context of inclusive preschool education. Confirmatory factor analyses conducted on a Serbian sample of parents (n = 451) indicated an inadequate fit with the original FIQ. Subsequent exploratory factor analyses revealed the expected three-factor structure with a reduced number of items and a different distribution across factors compared to the original FIQ. These findings suggest variations in family involvement across countries and educational contexts. Despite the removal of 14 poorly performing items, the three-factor structure with 20 reliable items showed convergence with the original FIQ and theoretical background. This study contributes to SDG4.2 by enhancing the assessment of family involvement in inclusive preschool education, laying the foundation for future research on its impact on children's development and learning outcomes. Findings also hold implications for construct validity research on the FIQ in other countries. A nationally validated family involvement tool can furnish policymakers with valuable data to address potential misconceptions about family involvement in preprimary education—an important aspect of achieving SDG4.2 and developing successful inclusive educational policies.