Development and validation of the Tamil Inclusive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy (TICMSE) scale

Assessing preservice teachers' inclusive classroom management self-efficacy (ICMSE) is critical for effectively implementing classroom management practices. Although the literature provides well-established instruments, many do not cover all domains of ICMSE. Above all, there is a notable absence of instruments assessing this multidimensional construct in Tamil, one of the native languages of Sri Lanka. This paper comprehensively reports the methodological aspects of developing and validating the Tamil Inclusive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy (TICMSE) Scale. The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether the TICMSE Scale effectively captures the multidimensional nature of the construct of ICMSE. Specifically, the study examines whether the author-generated items accurately represent the hypothesized, a priori four-factor structure of the scale. A convenience sample of 200 preservice teachers enrolled in teacher education institutions in Sri Lanka participated in an online survey. Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted to extract the data, resulting in a four-factor solution. Confirmatory Factor Analysis further confirmed the proposed structure. The psychometric properties of the TICMSE scale, including composite reliability, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity, were established. These findings warrant the ongoing utilization of this scale as a reliable and factorially valid instrument for objectively measuring different dimensions of ICMSE, especially among Tamil preservice teachers in Sri Lanka.