Improvement of the factor structure of the Teacher Variance Inventory

This study addresses the need for teacher training in the area of classroom discipline. There is a lack of effective teacher training programs which suit the needs of today's teachers who are facing various new challenges to managing their classrooms as federal initiatives introduce many special needs students into their regular education classrooms. This study focuses on one particular model, the Teacher Variance Training Model (TVTM) developed for teacher training and the instrument used to implement it, the Teacher Variance Inventory (TVI). The most recent version of the TVI, the TVI-IV, is a self-report measure based on the TVTM, a multidimensional model for consultation and teacher training. It provides five scenarios in which teachers rate suspected causes for misbehavior and subsequent interventions they would use in real-life and interventions they would use if conditions were “ideal” (e.g., unlimited time, staff, and material resources). Factorial structure of the new items is presented to demonstrate the improved psychometric characteristics of this latest version of the scale. The first purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the revised version of the TVI, the TVI-IV. The second purpose of this study was to determine whether extensive training in psychological theory affects response styles. This was investigated by ascertaining whether the factor structure produced by responses to the TVI-IV varies when administered to psychologists as compared with teachers. Extensive graduate training in psychological theory is hypothesized to increase the respondents' likelihood of (1) selecting interventions consistent with presumed cause as assessed by the instrument and (2) linking causes with interventions. This will help to demonstrate the instrument's utility in assessing a need for teacher training in psychological theory. Results indicated that the TVI-IV is a reliable instrument, as demonstrated by Cronbach's Alpha of .89 and test-retest results with Pearson's r of .879. Results also indicated that the TVI-N is a valid instrument, as demonstrated by various principal components analyses which revealed factors that reflected the hypothesized theoretical structure of the TVTM. Conclusions were that the TVI-IV is an important tool to be used as part of the TVTM. It allows the consultants to introduce the consultees to a theoretical framework for conceptualizing their own personal philosophies about student behavior. The TVI-IV allows consultees to identify the implicit philosophies they use for explaining the origins (causes) of misbehavior and which philosophies they consider to be most effective for determining interventions. This inventory also allows for the determination of inconsistencies between perceived causes of, and interventions for, misbehavior. By making teachers aware of inconsistencies (i.e., creating cognitive dissonance) teachers will be motivated to change these inconsistencies and increase their investment in the teacher training or consultation process. Although the Teacher Variance Inventory has been developed on a psychometrically sound basis, further research is needed to determine its effectiveness in dealing with teacher resistance. Clinical experience and anecdotes from teachers suggest tremendous potential for the use of the TVI in consultation, teacher training seminars, and also on an individual basis.