Measuring Homework Disaffection and Worry in Secondary School Students: Development of Homework Disaffection and Worry Scale

Abstract

Disaffection and worry during the homework process negatively affect students' motivation and performance. The goal of this study is to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool that can identify students' negative emotional and cognitive reactions to homework. For this purpose, the Homework Disaffection and Worry scale (HDWS) was developed and administered to 821 eighth-grade students attending public schools in Istanbul. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the scale has a two-dimensional structure: disaffection and worry. The reliability coefficients of the sub-dimensions were adequate, and the scale variables showed significant relationships with expectancy, value, effort, and achievement. These results suggest that the HDWS is a valid and reliable tool for measuring students' negative emotional and cognitive reactions to homework.