Public administration education towards Sustainable Development Goals: psychometric analysis of a scale

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this research is to adapt and validate a useful instrument to diagnose the Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviours, and Intention to Participate (KABIP) toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in higher education institutions from the public administration in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: The study was carried out using the Delphi technique, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The selected sample was composed of 790 students. The instrument items were extracted from relevant scales on the topic. Findings: After validation with EFA, the structure was checked, and the model was later corroborated with CFA through structural equations (RMSEA = 0.041; CFI = 0.779; TLI = 0.764). The reliability and internal consistency of the instrument were also tested, with values for all dimensions being higher than 0.8 Originality/value: It is concluded that this new questionnaire has 66 items and 4 dimensions. It has an acceptable validity and reliability, and can be used to diagnose Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviours and Intention to Participate (KABIP) towards SDG at higher education institutions in developing countries.