Psychometric properties of the Psychological Security Scale for Kindergarten Children (4-6) Years Old as Perceived by Mothers

< RESEARCH < ARTICLE < < Psychometric properties of the Psychological Security Scale for Kindergarten Children (4-6) Years Old as Perceived by Mothers Safi Feriha PhD Student Amar Telidji University of Laghouat Algeria / / Doi Serial / Keywords Scale, psychological security, psychometric properties <    Abstract <    his research aims to measure the psychometric characteristics represented by )validity and stability) of the scale of ;    psychological security for children as perceived by their working mothers. The scale was built by the researcher

Old as Perceived by Mothers. Science, Education and Innovations in the Context ofModern Problems, 8(5), 237248; doi:10.56352/sei/8.5.25.

Satisfying the psychological needs of the child represents a fundamental starting point for establishing the foundations of successful and effective learning. Psychologists have long devoted significant attention to the subject of psychological needs, as evidenced by numerous studies in developmental psychology that focus on growth demands and needs, which play an essential role in achieving a stable psychological state. Through this stability, the child experiences psychological security, which is considered one of the pillars of mental health and a foundation for effective development and dynamic progress in later developmental stages.

Psychological tests of various kinds occupy a special place in contemporary psychology, with wide applications across many diverse life domains. Psychological measurement is based on the study of psychological phenomena from a scientific and experimental perspective, moving away from traditional introspective methods — a shift that represents a major qualitative transformation in the history of psychology, even forming the essential basis for recognizing it as an exact science (Amtaniyos Mikhail, 2016, p. 17). Following the advent of mental abilities measurement, researchers turned towards assessing personality variables by developing scales to obtain quantitative values for psychological traits, especially those related to needs. Psychological security is a necessary need due to its impact on an individual's personality and serves as the foundation on which future life is built.

Thus, the child's emotional sphere in their early developmental stages is directly related to their needs—first their physiological needs, then their emerging psychological needs. The mother and close caregivers play a decisive role in meeting and satisfying these needs. Through this process of satisfaction, intimate relationships are formed between the child and the mother, which largely guide the future development of the child's psyche and shape the nature of their interpersonal relationships. During the earliest stages of interaction with the mother, the child develops feelings of security, attachment, and affection towards others (I. Ekolchitskaya, 1997, p. 35). This sense of security, which begins with the mother satisfying the child's most basic desires and evolves through recurring experiences and situations, significantly contributes to structuring and organizing the child’s initial impressions (Boutros Boutros, 2008, p. 46).

Davies (1994) asserts that the first thing an individual learns involves their relationship with the mother, and that other family members and friends quickly enter this sphere. The positive emotional responses the individual learns towards the mother may generalize and influence their social interactions with others. Accordingly, a person who experiences security and reassurance in their family environment will feel secure and reassured with friends and peers — it is an extension of the security felt in earlier stages of life (P. Davies, 1994, p. 147).

Many studies have tried to trace the long-term effects of mothers working on their children. A comprehensive study conducted by researchers at Stanford University, spanning nearly 50 years and tracking the emotional, financial, and educational success of 300 participants from the age of one to forty-eight, found that adult children of working mothers struggled to establish lasting relationships and suffered from what is termed "custodial doubt" — a lack of belief in the concept of unconditional, enduring love, as the repeated absences of their mothers during working hours had long-lasting effects on them (source).

Koussa (2010), in a study on partial deprivation from a working mother and its relationship to violence, notes that a mother working outside the home results in extended absences from her children, often leaving young, nonschool-age children in daycare. This phenomenon has spread in Algerian society for over two decades. Although driven by life necessities, it carries a significant risk: the loss of the child’s connection with their mother during early childhood. Women face obligations outside the home for work and inside the home afterward. Here lies the dilemma of balancing a woman’s role as a worker, a homemaker, and a mother — the last of which carries considerable risk for future generations, who may adopt violence as a tool against society, as an unconscious expression of a lack of maternal affection at a crucial stage of life (Koussa Boujemaa, 2010, p. 1).

A study by Mahmoud and Marwan (1990) on psychological problems among kindergarten children from the perspective of working and non-working mothers found that the primary problems faced by children of working mothers included loss of appetite, fear when separated from the mother, thumb-sucking, nail-biting, jealousy, lack of participation and cooperation, and poor adjustment to strangers (Tawfiq Tawfiq, 2001, p. 24). In a study by Hoffman (1992) on The Impact of Maternal Employment on Children’s Mental Health , several results emerged, most notably that the working mother’s psychological state oscillates between satisfaction, anger, and guilt towards her children, which affects how she deals with them and, consequently, the nature of her relationship with her child. The long absences of working mothers from home result in less supervision and awareness of their children’s academic and social needs, and frequent maternal absences may also lead to emotional and cognitive deprivation. Similarly, Ahmed’s (1993) study indicated that young children of working mothers suffer from greater anxiety and aggression compared to children of non-working mothers (Amani Al-Kahlout, 2011, p. 114).

Bahgat's (1981) study found that working women do not have enough time to care for their children to the same extent as non-working women, resulting in a diminished maternal role in social upbringing and educational care. This is supported by Said Said’s study, which concluded that women’s employment led to a decline in their ability to supervise their children's educational needs; they are less able to monitor their child’s studies and encourage them to complete school tasks. Siham Badr summarized the educational and psychological issues related to working mothers and child-rearing as including deprivation of maternal care during the mother's working hours, the short time available for the mother to spend with her children, and the physical and psychological exhaustion that makes it difficult to meet many of her children’s basic needs (Hala Sbee’, previously cited, p. 15).

Based on the results of these studies on the impact of maternal employment on children, a range of concerns has emerged among working mothers regarding how their employment affects the psychological development of their children — most notably the extent to which working mothers can satisfy their children’s need for psychological security. Therefore, it is essential for mothers to understand to what extent their child feels psychologically secure. This can only be determined through measurement, yet measuring such feelings in early childhood is a challenge for researchers due to both the developmental nature of the child and our limited understanding of how children express their emotions and the frequent changes in their emotional states.

For this reason, and based on the above, there emerged a need to build a measure of psychological security in children as perceived by their mothers — by observing their children’s behaviors and the mothers’ ability to sense both the apparent and hidden states of their children.

Importance of the Study

• •    The theoretical significance of this study lies in its focus on an important variable—psychological security—in a crucial sample, namely preschool children. This is a particularly critical stage of development, and it's worth noting that these children are separated from their mothers for many hours each day, which adds to the importance of the study.

• •    The scale may benefit researchers and professionals in the field of mental health, as well as guide families of children experiencing psychological crises or behavioral disorders toward a more accurate and sound understanding of their children.

• •    This study represents a scientific contribution as it provides a tool for measuring the psychological security of children at a critical stage of development.

Operational Definitions of Study Terms

Psychological Security:

Psychological security is a complex feeling that encompasses a child's sense of happiness and satisfaction with life, providing a sense of safety and reassurance, being loved and accepted by others, which helps foster belongingness. It also includes the perception of care and trust from others, contributing to a strong sense of warmth and affection, calmness, stability, emotional balance, self-acceptance, and self-respect. All of this allows the child to expect good things in life and believe in the possibility of fulfilling their future desires, away from the risk of psychological disorders, inner conflicts, or threats to their stability (Zeinab Shuqair, 2005, p.7). Operationally, it is measured by the score the child receives based on the mother's perception of her child’s psychological security using the scale developed for this study.

Children of Working Mothers:

Children aged 4 to 6 years who are enrolled in kindergartens in the city of Laghouat and whose mothers are employed in public-sector jobs (e.g., education, administration, and healthcare).

The Scale:

A psychological and educational measurement tool is a standardized instrument or structured method designed to objectively assess a sample of behavior in order to compare an individual’s performance to a specific benchmark (Mahmoud Allam, 2000, p.28).

In this study, it consists of a set of situations expressing the extent to which a child feels secure, as perceived by his/her working mother. It includes two dimensions: a personal dimension and a social dimension. The scale was developed through several steps, including defining the scale’s objective, identifying the construct to be measured, formulating the items and instructions, preparing the scoring key, testing and verifying its validity and reliability, and finally producing the scale in its final form.

Psychometric Properties

• •    Spatial limits: The study was conducted in 10 kindergartens in the city of Laghouat.

• •   Temporal limits: The study took place from December 2020 to February 2021.

• •   Human limits: The main study sample consisted of 60 boys and girls aged between 4 and 6 years.

• •    Instrumental limits: The Emotional Intelligence Scale for Preschool Children (developed by the researcher).

Theoretical Framework and Previous Studies

Maslow emphasized the importance of feeling secure in a world filled with war, disasters, economic crises, unemployment, and fear of the future (A. Maslow, 1970, p.41). Psychological security is thus a fundamental condition for a child's mental and emotional development within the family environment. Without this security, children fail to thrive and may develop personality disturbances that hinder healthy psychological and cognitive development (Abdel Bari Dawoud, 2004, p.49).

Frédéric Berger (2008) added that the failure to satisfy the need for psychological security leaves individuals unable to achieve, create, or appreciate art, thereby impeding societal development. Fulfilling this need, he argues, is what builds civilization (J. Berger, 2008, p.11).

If an individual grows up in circumstances that prevent the satisfaction of this need, they will seek security in all situations and relationships, and may become incapable of facing challenges or threats. The inability to meet this fundamental need can distort the individual’s perception and reaction to risk (Mariam Al-Najim, 2011, p.3).

The researcher believes that the need for psychological security is innate, arising at birth alongside biological needs, and continues through the individual’s life. It requires the mother’s presence in early life, then other emotionally and psychologically significant figures (family, then community), to build healthy relationships and achieve psychological well-being and self-adjustment.

• 4.    Characteristics of Psychological Security:

• 5.    Research has approached psychological security from multiple angles and identified several key characteristics. It is shaped by the socialization process and quality of upbringing, closely related to social interaction, experiences, social environments, and harmony (Hamed Zahran, 2003, p.24).

• 6.    Psychological security positively affects academic achievement and overall performance. Educated individuals tend to feel more secure than the uneducated. A sense of security among elderly parents is often linked to the presence of dutiful children. Moreover, psychologically secure individuals tend to be more creative (Omar Hajjaj, 2014, p.195).

• 7.    The elements of psychological security are linked to personal traits and life situations. Balanced personalities correlate positively with high levels of psychological security.

• 8.    Dimensions of Psychological Security:

• 9.    Psychological security results from both internal (personality, growth) and external (culture, socialization) factors, and it manifests in a variety of behavioral, emotional, and relational indicators that help assess an individual's level of psychological security (ibid, p.197).

Maslow identified three positive dimensions of psychological security:

• •    Feeling accepted, loved, and treated with warmth.

• •    Belonging and feeling part of a group.

• •    Safety and low levels of perceived threat, danger, or anxiety (Abdel Salam Al-Mufarriji & Abdullah Al-Shahri, 2008, p.115).

• •    Zahran (2005) stated that psychological security consists of self-assurance, self-confidence, and feeling part of a secure group. A psychologically secure person tends to be emotionally balanced and adjusted (Hamed Zahran,

  2005,                                                                                                  p.445).

Mazloum (2014) identified two core dimensions:

• 1.    Self-assurance—feeling calm, safe, stable, and unafraid.

• 2.    Trust in oneself and others—having confidence in one’s abilities and judgments and trusting others (Mustafa Mazloum,                                           2014,                                           p.8).

Adas pointed to the need for balance between self and others, where balanced relationships promote stability, productivity, and reduced anxiety (Najah Al-Sumeiri, 2010, p.2154).

Hefni emphasized the social aspect of psychological security, noting that it stems from maintaining emotionally satisfying and balanced relationships (Jamil Al-Taharawi, 2007, p.8). In the same vein, Al-Sayfi (2010) stressed the importance of social security—a sense of self-worth and having a meaningful role within the community (Abdullah Al-Sayfi,                                               2010,                                               p.2050).

Zahran also linked psychological security to the instinct for survival, adding dimensions such as stable housing, consistent income, physical health, caution, trust, and peace of mind (Najah Al-Sumeiri, ibid, p.2154). He also included freedom from internal conflict, emotional stability, self-efficacy, problem-solving ability, control over one’s life, and realistic coping mechanisms (Hamed Zahran, 2005, p.87).

The researcher views psychological security in children as having two dimensions:

• 1.    Personal-Self Dimension: The child feels calm, stable, safe, important, loved, self-respecting, confident, capable of managing their affairs, making decisions, independent, productive, and happy.

• 2.    Social Dimension: The child feels able to form balanced relationships, maintain emotionally fulfilling bonds with others (especially those emotionally significant), trust and love others, forgive, belong to peer groups, influence them, and perceive the world as warm and pleasant.

Previous Studies

Field Study Procedures

• •    Method:

This study investigates the psychological security of children as perceived by working mothers and its relationship to their children’s emotional intelligence. Therefore, the descriptive method using an analytical approach was employed due to its suitability for the research topic. This method is considered "a way to study the present, aiming to answer specific questions without the researcher intervening by manipulating variables or introducing new treatments, but rather by studying what already exists" (Souhail Diab, 2003, p. 20). Although accurate and comprehensive description is the primary goal of descriptive research, it often goes beyond description to interpretation, depending on the methodological procedures followed and the researcher's ability to interpret and infer (Shahata Suleiman, 2006, p. 337).

• •    Sample:

The study population consists of kindergarten children registered in kindergartens in the city of Laghouat during the 2021–2022 academic year, aged between 4 and 6 years. The main study sample was randomly selected from children aged 4 to 6 years, with a total of 60 boys and girls.

Development of the Study Scale

After reviewing the theoretical literature, both Arabic and international, related to the study variables, and reviewing relevant Arabic and foreign studies to help define the scale items, the researcher also examined existing psychological security scales to construct the measurement tool for the current study. Below is an explanation of the scale and how it was designed.

• •    Psychological Security Scale: Due to the lack of a suitable scale for measuring psychological security in kindergarten children aged 4–6 years (to the best of the researcher’s knowledge), a scale was developed based on the following steps:

Review of psychological security scales used in childhood:

• a)    The Psychological Security Scale for Children and Adolescents by Abraham Maslow (1975), consisting of 75 items. It was standardized by Fahd Al-Dulaim and others (1993). Maslow identified dimensions of psychological security as follows: feeling of acceptance and love, affectionate and cooperative relationships with others, sense of belonging and social status, and feeling safe and free from threats (Fahd Al-Dulaim, Farouk Abdelsalam, Abdulaziz Al-Fattah, 1993).

• b)    Psychological Security Scale by Zeinab Shaqeer (2005) for children and adolescents, comprising 54 items distributed across four dimensions: psychological security related to self-image and future outlook, general and occupational life, mood, and social relationships and interactions (Zeinab Shaqeer, 2005).

• c)    The Psychological Security Scale for Children by Katrine Kernz, translated and standardized by Emad Mekhemer (2003). It consists of two forms (father and mother), each with 14 items covering three dimensions. For the father: comfort, trust, and lack of fear in his presence; need for his physical and emotional presence; fear of losing him. For the mother: comfort and trust in her presence; fear of her absence; fear of her unavailability during times of need (Emad Mekhemer, 2003).

From the above, shared dimensions among the scales were identified. Note that the Arabic studies were applied during middle and late childhood, while the Kernz scale in international studies was used for various childhood stages, including early childhood. These studies also relied on parental reports to assess children’s psychological security in kindergarten. These dimensions are considered key indicators of psychological security regardless of age or environment and, according to the researcher’s review, are grouped under two main dimensions:

• 1.    The self-related dimension: Includes feelings of love, acceptance, status, comfort, happiness, and trust in parents.

• 2.    The social dimension: Includes social relationships, belonging, and interaction with the surrounding environment.

Differences in other dimensions are attributed to sample variations, study environments, and research goals.

Objective of the scale: The purpose of the scale is to identify the degree of psychological security the child feels as perceived by the mother and to determine the child's level in this variable.

Operational definition of psychological security: Psychological security is defined as a child’s feeling of happiness, tranquility, satisfaction, good health, love from significant people (especially emotionally important figures like parents and siblings), their acceptance of him, selfrespect and self-esteem, confidence in himself and others, ability to face difficulties and dangers, and to handle daily challenges. It also includes freedom from anxiety-related disorders such as nail-biting, bed-wetting, nightmares, social withdrawal, and fear of maternal separation.

Scale domain analysis: Psychological security was analyzed according to its operational definition into two dimensions: self-related and social. The scale consists of 40 items—23 items reflect the self-related dimension and 17 the social dimension.

Type of items:

The scale items were developed using a multiple-choice format based on the Likert method, where the mother responds using a three-point scale.

Scale description: After following the steps above, a psychological security scale was developed for children aged 4–6 as perceived by the mother. It includes observable indicators of psychological security, such as comfort, tranquility, trust, love, and acceptance both at home and in kindergarten. The self-related dimension includes behavioral and emotional signs observed by the mother that reflect the child's inner feelings of security. The social dimension reflects behavioral and emotional manifestations in group settings such as kindergarten, interactions with peers, and quality of relationships, as perceived by the mother.

Scoring:

The scale has 40 items divided between self-related and social dimensions. Some items are phrased positively and others negatively. The questionnaire uses three response options:

• •    Positive items: Always – Sometimes – Never, scored 3–2–1

• •    Negative items: Always – Sometimes – Never, scored 1–2–3

Total scores range from 40 to 120, divided into three levels:

• •   40–66: Low level of psychological security

• •   67–93: Medium level

• •   94–120: High level

Psychometric Properties of the Scale:

• •    Validity     of     the     Psychological     Security     Scale     for     Kindergarten     Children:

• a)                                                  Expert                                                 Validity:

This type of validity was assessed by distributing a validation form to specialists in clinical psychology, educational psychology, speech therapy, and social psychology. After collecting and reviewing the forms, the experts agreed that all items were appropriate and measured what they were intended to. The following tables show expert agreement percentages on the relevance of items in the two dimensions (self-related and social) of the psychological security scale for kindergarten children.

Table 02: Expert agreement percentages on the relevance of items in the self-related psychological security dimension for kindergarten children.

Dimension	Item No.	Agreement %	Item No.	Agreement %	Item No.	Agreement
Self-Security		85%	9	100%	17	87%
	2	99%	10	100%	18	100%
	3	100%	11	100%	19	90%
	4	100%	12	99%	20	100%
	5	83%	13	100%	21	100%
	6	100%	14	100%	22	99%
	7	87%	15	89%	23	100%
	8	100%	16	100%	/	/

It is clear from the table that all items in the first dimension of the psychological security scale for kindergarten children received agreement percentages from the experts ranging between 83% and 100% for each item. Since we adopted an acceptance threshold of 80% or higher, all items were retained without any modification.

Table (03): Expert agreement percentages on the relevance of the items in the psychological security scale for kindergarten children (social security dimension).

Dimension Item No. Agreement % Item No. Agreement % Item No. Agreement %

Social Security 24 100% 30 100% 36 93% 25 86% 31 100% 37 100% 26 81% 32 100% 38 100% 27 100% 33 99% 39 99% 28 96% 34 100% 40 100% fg It is clear from the above table that the percentages of expert agreement on the items in the social security dimension of the psychological security scale for kindergarten children ranged between 81% and 100%. Therefore, all items were retained without modification, and the preliminary version of the scale remained unchanged, with all items kept as they were.

We administered the scale to a sample of mothers from several kindergartens in the city of Laghouat, covering 60 children. The mothers responded on behalf of their children, based on their perception of their children’s sense of psychological security, in order to verify the validity of the scale. We then calculated the validity and reliability coefficients using several methods, as follows:

B/           Discriminant           Validity           (Extreme           Group           Comparison):

To assess the validity of the scale, discriminant validity was used. The scores were ranked from lowest to highest, and 33% from the top of the distribution and 33% from the bottom were selected, resulting in 20 participants. A t-test was then conducted to determine the differences between the two groups. The following table shows the results:

Table No. (03): Results of the psychological security scale validity using the discriminant validity method.

Measured Variable   Comparison Groups Sample Mean Std. Deviation T-value df Significance Level

Psychological Security Upper Group       20     104.60 6.855

Lower Group       20     74.45  6.039         14.75  38 0.000 (Stat. Sig.)

From the obtained table, we observe that the T-value reached (14.75) at a degree of freedom (38) with a statistical significance level of (0.000) , which is less than (0.01) . This indicates that there are statistically significant differences between the two groups on the scale, in favor of the upper group . This means the scale has discriminative power , as the mean of the upper group was (104.60) , while the mean of the lower group was (75.45) . This confirms the validity of the scale .

b/                            Internal                            Consistency                            Validity:

To verify the internal consistency validity of the scale, we calculated the correlation between each item and the total score of the scale. The following table presents the results:

Table (04): Results of Internal Consistency Validity for Items and the Total Score of the Psychological Security Scale

Significance Level	Correlation Coefficient	Standard Deviation	Mean	Item	Significance Level	Correlation Coefficient	Standard Deviation	Mean	Item
0.01	0.43	0.724	2.13	21	0.01	0.34	0.596	2.18	1
0.01	0.49	0.701	2.48	22	0.01	0.48	0.693	2.17	2
0.01	0.56	0.821	1.93	23	0.01	0.42	0.633	2.35	3

0.01	0.45	0.755	2.35	24	0.01	0.56	0.676	2.5 0	4
0.01	0.51	0.775	2.10	25	0.01	0.53	0.660	2.07	5
0.01	0.73	0.783	2.12	26	0.05	0.26	0.623	2.53	6
0.01	0.57	0.668	2.17	27	0.01	0.65	0.817	2.10	7
0.01	0.40	0.792	2.32	28	0.01	0.53	0.651	2.48	8
0.01	0.53	0.715	1.72	29	0.01	0.54	0.691	2.22	9
0.01	0.41	0.624	2.48	30	0.05	0.31	0.640	1.88	10
0.01	0.40	0.775	2.10	31	0.01	0 . 56	0.761	2.12	11
0.01	0.41	0.774	2.33	32	0.05	0.29	0.718	2.40	12
0.01	0.53	0.725	2.18	33	0.01	0.43	0.655	2.33	13
0.01	0.53	0.700	2.47	34	10.0	0.24	0.706	2.10	14
0.01	0.63	0.767	2.23	35	0.01	0.73	0.783	2.12	15
0.01	0.49	0.715	2.28	36	0.05	0.25	0.756	2.07	16
0.01	0.65	0.817	2.10	37	0.05	0.27	0.686	1.93	17
0.01	0.56	0.647	2.57	38	0.01	0.40	0.743	2.42	18
0.01	0.55	0.832	1.95	39	0.01	0.44	0.596	1.98	19
0.05	0.28	0.676	2.52	40	0.01	0.43	0.659	2.20	20

From the table, it is clear that there is a correlation between the following items and the total score of the Psychological Security Scale , as the items numbered (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39) are valid at the 0.01 significance level . The mean values ranged between (1.72–2.57) , the standard deviation values ranged between (0.596–0.832) , and the correlation coefficients ranged between (0.24–0.73) .

Meanwhile, the items numbered (6, 10, 12, 16, 17, 40) are valid at the 0.05 significance level , with mean values ranging between (1.88–2.53) , standard deviations between (0.623–0.756) , and correlation coefficients ranging between (0.25–0.31) . Therefore, the scale is considered valid .

To further verify internal consistency validity , we also calculated the correlation between each dimension and the total score of the Psychological Security Scale. The following table illustrates this:

Table No. (11): Results of Internal Consistency Validity for the Dimensions and the Total Score of the Psychological Security Scale

Significance Level	Correlation Coefficient	Standard Deviation	Mean	Dimensions
0.01	0.94	6.87	50.38	Personal Security
0.01	0.93	6.78	37.98	Social Security
/	1	12.43	86 .28	Total Score

From the table, it is evident that there is a correlation between the dimensions and the total score of the Psychological Security Scale. The Self-Security dimension is valid at the 0.01 significance level , with a mean value of (50.38) , a standard deviation of (6.87) , and a correlation coefficient of (0.94) . Similarly, the Social Security dimension is valid at the 0.01 significance level , with a mean value of (37.98) , a standard deviation of (6.78) , and a correlation coefficient of (0.93) . Thus, the scale is considered valid .

• -     Reliability     of the     Psychological     Security     Scale     for     Kindergarten     Children:

Reliability is one of the psychometric properties of a test, and it refers to the consistency of individuals’ scores when the test is administered more than once. It indicates that individuals obtain similar scores when the test is administered repeatedly (Abdel Hadi Abdo et al., 2002, p. 36). The reliability of the scale was calculated using several methods:

a/       Reliability       of       the       scale       using       Cronbach’s       Alpha       method:

The data were processed using the Cronbach’s Alpha method for the scale, and the following table shows the results of the Cronbach’s Alpha test.

Table No. (05): Results of Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Coefficient for the Psychological Security Scale

Cronbach's   Alpha   Reliability Coefficient	Standard Deviation	Mean	Sample	Number of Items	Scale
0.913	13.66	88.68	60	40	Psychological Security

From the results obtained in the table, we observe that the reliability coefficient reached a value of (0.913) for the scale. This indicates a high level of reliability. Since this value is close to one, it is considered high and confirms that the scale is reliable .

b/ Calculating the scale's reliability using the Split-Half Method:

The Pearson correlation coefficient between the two halves of the test is calculated using the Spearman-Brown formula (assuming equal variance between the two halves of the test). We relied on the split-half method to calculate reliability and also verified reliability using the Guttman method . The following table summarizes the results of data processing using the split-half method:

Table No. (06): Results of the Scale Reliability Coefficient Using the Split-Half Method

Reliability coefficient			sample	Standard Deviation	Mean	Items	Measured Variable
Correction Method	After Correction	Before Correction	20	6.47	44.15	Odd	Psychological Security
Cumulative	0.88	0.80	20	7.90	44.53	Dual
			40	13.66	88 .68	Total

From the table results obtained, we observe that the reliability coefficient of the scale using the split-half method reached (0.80) before correction. After correction using the Guttman method , the value reached (0.88) , which is a high value , indicating that the scale is reliable .

Application Procedures:

After confirming the psychometric properties of the scale developed for this study, we proceeded to visit kindergartens in order to select the sample and apply the scale.

We distributed 360 questionnaires of the Psychological Security Scale as perceived by mothers, assigning each child a unique code written at the top of the form. We retrieved 322 questionnaires from the mothers, and excluded 7 of them due to non-compliance with the provided instructions.

The sample was selected from 10 kindergartens in the city of Laghouat , including both accredited and nonaccredited institutions. Most of the non-accredited kindergartens are located in new residential neighborhoods , which are inhabited by a large number of working mothers .

Statistical Methods Used in This Study:

The researcher used the following statistical methods in the current study:

• •    Cronbach’s Alpha to calculate reliability coefficients.

• •    Spearman-Brown coefficient to correct split-half reliability of the study scales.

• •    T-test for independent samples.•    Measures of central tendency and dispersion measures.

• •   One-way ANOVA and LSD test for post hoc comparisons.

These methods were implemented using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 .