Development of the Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation: TRAAM

This study reported the initial effort to develop the Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation (TRAAM). Nine teacher volunteers from two schools in a medium-sized midwestern public school district rated third through sixth grade regular education students (N = 97) using the TRAAM and the Teacher Rating of Academic Performance (TRAP). The students were administered the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R). Initial factor analyses of the TRAAM data yielded a four-factor solution that accounted for 68.5% of the variance in the teacher ratings. Internal consistency reliability estimates for Factors I, II, IV and the Total Score were excellent and ranged from.91 to.98 while Factor III was marginal (coefficient alpha =.79). Criterion-related validity of the TRAAM was examined by correlating the 4 TRAAM factors and the Total Score with the 5-item TRAP and the WRAT-R subtests. The TRAAM factors and Total Score were positively correlated with all TRAP items and most correlations between the TRAAM factors and Total Score and the WRAT-R subtests also were statistically significant (p <.001). Limitations of the current TRAAM and suggestions for the refinement of the scale are discussed. The initial analyses of the TRAAM indicated the instrument has potential to become a sound psychometric alternative assessment device for investigating academic achievement motivation in children.