Validity evidence of the Brazilian adaptation of the teacher emotions scale (TES)

Abstract The Teacher Emotion Scale (TES) has been essential for understanding how educators experience and regulate emotions. The first Brazilian validation contributed significantly to educational research but left gaps in its application. Although the TES was originally designed to assess the emotions of basic education teachers (i.e., those teaching in primary, middle, and high schools), its Brazilian validation primarily focused on higher education professors. Moreover, no studies have compared emotional responses across educational levels, limiting its applicability and comprehensive understanding of teachers’ emotions. This study refines the TES to better capture educators’ emotional experiences across different levels, enhancing its relevance. To address these gaps, we examined the internal and external validity and reliability of the Brazilian TES among 602 school teachers from various educational levels. Data were collected via an online survey with convenience sampling. Internal validity was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the robust diagonally weighted least squares (RDWLS) method and oblique rotation (Promin), confirming the original three-factor structure (joy, anxiety, anger), with one item removed due to misalignment. Reliability was supported by the H index and McDonald’s ω coefficients. External validity was demonstrated through significant correlations with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Invariance tests (configural, metric, scalar) and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) confirmed the TES’s applicability across educational levels. These findings support its use for assessing teachers’ emotions in Brazil. To enhance precision, adjustments to certain items and continuous validation are recommended, ensuring ongoing relevance and contributing to a healthier teaching environment.