Measuring self-determination in Norwegian students : adaptation and validation of the AIR Self-Determination Scale

This study describes the adaptation and validation of the American Institute for Research (AIR) Self-Determination Scale for use in Norwegian research and education. The study contributes to the field by enabling reliable assessment of self-determination of Norwegian students with intellectual disability. The operational equivalence of the construct of self-determination in American and Norwegian culture were examined. The article further describes the adaptations that were made to the scale to ensure its fitness for intended use. Psychometric reliability (Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability) was tested on 121 students, and the underlying structure of the scale was examined by means of principal component analysis. The adapted version of the questionnaire (AIR-S-NOR) shows respectable psychometric properties. Suggestions for how the AIR-S-NOR can be used in future research and educational practices are presented