Development and Validation of the AEC-CS Instrument for English and Arabic Learning in Islamic Boarding Schools

Abstract

Psychological assessment in Islamic boarding school (pesantren) contexts is frequently constrained by instruments with limited contextual relevance and insufficient empirical validation. This study addresses this gap by developing and validating the Attitudes, Engagement, Challenges, and Coping Strategies (AEC-CS) instrument, grounded in pesantren educational and spiritual values. Using a quantitative research and development design, the study was conducted in a pesantren in Pontianak City, Indonesia, involving 126 santri selected through simple random sampling. Content validity was assessed using Aiken’s V coefficient, while construct validity was examined through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using JASP version 0.95.4.0. Results indicate strong content validity, and CFA confirmed adequate model fit. The English version retained 38 items with significant factor loadings, whereas the Arabic version required removal of five items to achieve construct stability. These findings support a psychometrically robust and culturally responsive instrument for pesantren educators, enhancing understanding of students’ attitudes, engagement, challenges, and coping strategies in learning English and Arabic.