Adolescent Connectedness: Testing Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Hemingway: Measure of Adolescent Connectedness–Bahasa Melayu Version (HMAC–BM)

Abstract

Measuring the factors that underlie adolescent connectedness has become a prominent focused issue in past studies across many disciplines. Thus far, the Hemingway: Measure of Adolescent Connectedness (HMAC) is the first research-based measure of adolescent’s relationship and sense of belonging with other people and their surroundings. The current study aimed to examine the measurement model of the Hemingway: Measure of Adolescent Connectedness which has been translated into Bahasa Melayu (HMAC–BM) in order to check for its feasibility among Malaysian adolescents. A total of 377 adolescents aged 16 years old were recruited from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Three factors, namely connectedness to family, school, and neighbors with seven sub-factors of the HMAC–BM, were analyzed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using the IBM SPSS Amos 23.0 (23.0, IBM Technology, Armonk, NY, USA). Results of the CFA supported the second-order factor of the HMAC–BM structures. The overall HMAC–BM scale and its subscales have higher factor loadings ranging from 0.60 to 0.79. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.78 to 0.95 for the three subscales and 0.84 for the total scale. Results also revealed seven sub-factors with forty-one factors—solution that accounted for 0.89% of total variance explained for adolescent connectedness. Findings provide empirical support for the feasibility of HMAC–BM in explaining Malaysian adolescents’ social connectedness. Hence, the HMAC–BM is a promising measure that can be used on Malaysian adolescents. The findings have important implications which provide a clear picture of HMAC–BM as an accurate instrument to measure adolescent’s social connectedness toward enhancing prosocial attitudes and well-being.