TPC Journal-Vol 10- Issue 3-FULL ISSUE

382 The Professional Counselor | Volume 10, Issue 3 Results Exploratory Phase Exploratory Factor Analysis An EFA was used to evaluate the structure of the 33 items on the SCKSS. Principal axis factoring was used as the extraction method. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value was .97, which suggests the sample was acceptable for conducting an EFA. The decrease in eigenvalues leveled off at five factors, with four factors having eigenvalues greater than 1.0. Parallel analysis confirmed that four factors should be retained in the solution. An oblique rotation, which was selected to allow correlation among the factors, was performed and used to determine the number of factors and item pattern. The total variance accounted for by four factors was 64%. The item communalities were all above 0.5. Item pattern (i.e., > 0.4) and structure (i.e., > 0.5) coefficients were examined to determine the relationship of the items to the factors. Twenty-nine items clearly aligned to one factor and three items loaded in multiple factors. In a review of the item patterns, it was determined by the researchers that the three items theoretically fit in specific factors. The fourth factor only aligned with three items. In an expert review, it was determined that the three items differentiated enough from the other factors to warrant a separate factor. The alignment of items and factors are reported in Table 2. Table 2 Alignment of Items and Factors based on EFA Factor Items Individualized Supports and Practices 11, 13, 16, 17, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Schoolwide Supports and Practices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 24 Targeted Supports and Practices 6, 7, 9, 15, 18, 33 Collaborative Supports and Practices 19, 20, 21 The first factor was named Individualized Supports and Practices . This factor contained 14 items focused on school counselors’ knowledge and skills for supporting students individually based on need. Examples of items on the Individualized Supports and Practices factor included: “ Selecting and using materials that respond to cultural, gender, or developmental differences ” and “ Methods for diffusing or deescalating student’s social/emotional problems. ” The second factor was Schoolwide Supports and Practices , with 10 items focused on school counselors’ knowledge and skills of schoolwide and team-based efforts aimed at supporting all students and preventing student problem behavior and academic decline. Examples of items on the Schoolwide Supports and Practices factor included: “ I know our annual goals and objectives for the schoolwide behavior program ” and “ I know our school’s crisis intervention plan for emergency situations. ” Factor 3 was named Targeted Supports and Practices and contained six items. These items focused on school counselors’ knowledge and skills related to providing targeted supports for small groups of students not responding positively to schoolwide prevention efforts. Examples of items on the Targeted Supports and Practices factor included: “ I know the influence of cultural/ethnic variables on student’s school behavior ” and “ Strategies for improving family–school partnerships. ” The fourth and final factor was Collaborative Supports and Practices , which contained three items focused on school counselors’ knowledge and skills related to collaborating with school personnel to implement student interventions. An example item of the Collaborative