Psychometric Evaluation of the Adaptive Leadership Behaviors Among Secondary School Principals in a Selected Region of Ethiopia Based on Teachers' Perceptions

The Adaptive Leadership Behaviors Scale has not yet been validated in Afan Oromo, within the secondary schools of Oromia Regional State. This study aimed to examine the psychometric soundness of the Afan Oromo adaptation of the scale and to evaluate its cultural relevance for assessing principals' adaptive leadership practices from teachers' perspectives in Ambo Town. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were gathered from 251 secondary school teachers through a census sampling approach. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS. The findings revealed that the scale demonstrated strong psychometric performance, including adequate content validity (CVI = .94), acceptable and strong model fit indices (χ²/df = 0.885, GFI = 0.922, AGFI = 0.905, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000), solid construct validity (CR = .83–.87; AVE = .48–.52; √AVE > r), and reliable internal consistency (α = .92). Overall, the results were a valid and reliable instrument for assessing adaptive leadership in secondary school contexts. The study therefore recommends that the Afan Oromo version of the scale can be considered a viable option for assessing the adaptive leadership behaviors of secondary school principals in the specific cultural and linguistic context of Oromia, Ethiopia.