Evaluation of psychometric properties of scales measuring student academic satisfaction: A Systematic review

BACKGROUND: Student satisfaction has an impact on student motivation, recruitment of new students, and retention of existing students. Hence, it is important for researchers and academic institutes to assess student academic satisfaction by valid and reliable scales. The aim of this study was to rigorously assess methodological quality and psychometric properties of scales measuring student academic satisfaction. METHODS: In this systematic review, databases including Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, and two Persian databases were searched using relevant keywords such as academic satisfaction, student satisfaction, university satisfaction, campus satisfaction, academic life experience, validation, and psychometric and factor analysis from 1970 to December 2018. Considering eligibility criteria, studies were selected after titles and abstracts screening. The methodological quality assessment was performed by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist and the Terwee quality criteria. RESULTS: Of 814 retrieved articles, 13 studies were included in the study. Based on the COSMIN checklist, structural validity (84%), content validity (53%), and hypothesis testing (53%) were the most reported properties. One study reported cross-cultural validity, one for criterion validity, and none reported measurement error. CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that in spite of ≥48 years of development in student satisfaction scales; however, each scale has at least one “poor” psychometric property based on the COSMIN checklist. Quality appraisal of scales is necessary after developing and performing psychometric process.