Turkish Adaptation of the Parental Perceptions of School Counseling Scale (PPSC)

Abstract

This study aimed to adapt the Parental Perceptions of School Counseling Scale (PPSC) into Turkish and examine its psychometric properties. The sample included 318 parents of primary and secondary school students, randomly split into two subsamples: exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the first subsample to identify the underlying factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on the second to test model fit in an independent dataset. EFA on 13 items suggested a four-factor structure, but two items showed problematic loadings. Item 10 cross-loaded on two unintended factors, while Item 13 loaded partially on a factor different from its theoretical construct. The removal of Item 10 produced a 12-item model with improved factorial clarity. CFA confirmed acceptable model fit for both the original and the 12-item versions. Convergent validity (AVE, CR), internal consistency (Cronbach’s α, Omega), and discriminant validity (HTMT) were examined to ensure reliable and distinct measurement of the constructs. Overall, the revised 12-item PPSC is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing parental perceptions of school counseling in Türkiye. The removal of Item 10 and the shift of Item 13 reflect cultural factors, as distinctions between counselors, social workers, and psychologists are less familiar in Türkiye, and perceptions of mental health support among parents differ in this context.

Keywords

• parental perception
• school counseling
• scale adaptation
• EFA
• CFA
• reliability
• validity

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