Development and Validation of the Ethics of Care Scale for Parents of Musically Gifted Children in Turkey

This study aimed to develop and validate the Ethics of Care Scale for Parents of Musically Gifted Children (ECS-MGC), grounded in Tronto's ethics of care, to assess caregiving behaviors of parents of musically gifted students enrolled in Turkey’s Science and Art Centers (BİLSEM). Data were collected from 493 parents using a 5-point Likert-type questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis based on a polychoric correlation matrix supported a five-factor structure, which was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis using the WLSMV estimator. Item refinement yielded a 22-item scale comprising Caring About, Caring For, Care Giving, Care Receiving, and Caring With. Model comparisons indicated that the five-factor structure fit the data better than one-factor and higher-order alternatives. Reliability was supported by internal consistency, composite reliability, and test–retest coefficients. While four dimensions demonstrated strong reliability, Caring About showed lower yet acceptable reliability. Use of the ECS-MGC should be limited to similar BİLSEM parent populations.