Validation and Standardisation of the Final Version of the DAL Scale for Measuring Reading Disposition

Abstract

This study aims to present the validation and standardization process of a revised version of the DAL scale to assess reading disposition (Batini et al., 2023). Disposition to reading is understood here as an individual feeling that can influence behavior selection and serve as a predictive factor for future behaviour. The domain investigated is that of reading for pleasure, enjoyed in one's free time for recreational and self-care purposes, in explicit connection with the educational practices enacted in the school context. The scale consists of three dimensions: the cognitive factor (ideas, beliefs, or opinions), the affective factor (emotional condition characterizing attitude), and the conative factor (behavioral tendency to act for or against).

The initial drafting of the scale and the pilot study involved 816 respondents aged 11–19 years and produced a version with 92 items distributed across the three factors mentioned above. The current study presents the findings of a new administration to a sample of 1,371 students, confirming a tripartite factorial structure with a total of 45 items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted on these data reveal a good model fit, with CFI and TLI fit indices close to .95, SRMR and RMSEA values below .05, and excellent reliability values for the three scales.