Psychometric Validation of the Persian Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale: A Cross-Sectional Validation Study Among Iranian Medical Students
TL;DR
Evidence is provided supporting the validity and reliability of the Persian JHLES in this sample of Iranian medical students and the instrument may be useful for evaluating learning environments and informing quality improvement initiatives within similar educational settings.
Abstract
Background A valid assessment of the learning environment is essential for improving the quality of medical education and supporting students’ academic and professional development. Although the Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale (JHLES) has demonstrated promising psychometric performance in several countries, no validated Persian version has been available. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian JHLES among Iranian medical students. Methods This methodological cross-sectional validation study included 350 medical students from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The JHLES was translated and culturally adapted using a standardized forward-backward translation process. Face, content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement invariance were evaluated using established psychometric methods. Results The Persian JHLES demonstrated good evidence of face and content validity (S-CVI/Ave = 0.96). Exploratory factor analysis supported a seven-factor structure explaining 70.7% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated acceptable model fit (χ2/df = 1.89, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94). Convergent and discriminant validity were satisfactory (CR = 0.81–0.91; AVE = 0.55–0.68; HTMT < 0.75). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.81–0.93) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.83–0.91) were also satisfactory. Conclusion The findings provide evidence supporting the validity and reliability of the Persian JHLES in this sample of Iranian medical students. The instrument may be useful for evaluating learning environments and informing quality improvement initiatives within similar educational settings. Further multicentre validation across diverse Iranian medical schools is warranted before broader national implementation.