Development and Validation of the Early Childhood STEM Teaching Attitudes, Challenges, and Self-Efficacy Scale (EC-STACSS)

This study aimed to develop and provide initial validation evidence for the Early Childhood STEM Teaching Attitudes, Challenges and Self-efficacy Scale (EC-STACSS) for use in early childhood contexts. Scale items were systematically adapted from existing literature and refined through expert review to support content validity. A total of 294 in-service early childhood teachers from Hong Kong and Mainland China participated in the validation process. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted using independent subsamples to examine the scale’s factor structure and psychometric properties. The analyses supported a three-factor structure comprising attitudes, challenges, and self-efficacy. The EC-STACSS showed promising psychometric properties, including good reliability and preliminary evidence of construct and convergent validity. The EC-STACSS contributes to the measurement of STEM teaching in early childhood education by integrating three theoretically grounded factors within a culturally contextualised framework. It addresses limitations of existing instruments, which are primarily designed for primary and secondary STEM teaching, and contributes empirical evidence from underrepresented Chinese contexts. It provides researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers with a useful tool for identifying professional learning needs and supporting effective STEM integration in early childhood classrooms.