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Higher Learning Research Communications

Digital Object Identifier

10.18870/hlrc.v16i1.1685

ORCID

Madina Ishkibayeva, ORCID:0009-0002-3859-2083; Nesrullah Okan, 0000-0002-9496-6417; Zhazira Abdykhalykova, 0000-0002-2541-2437; Nursulu Makhambetova, 0009-0000-8120-6438

Abstract

The present study has been designed to adapt the Moral Integrity Scale (MIS), originally developed by Schlenker (2008), into Kazakh and to examine its psychometric properties among undergraduate students. Moral integrity, a critical component of ethical behavior, is essential in tertiary education, yet few culturally validated tools exist in the Kazakh context. Following a rigorous scale adaptation process (including translation, back-translation, expert review, and pilot testing), the scale was administered to three independent student samples. The results of the exploratory factor analysis (n = 470) revealed a single-factor structure explaining 52.13% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (n = 248) supported this structure with strong model fit indices (χ²/df = 2.751; p < .001; RMSEA = .077; SRMR = .042; NFI = .908; CFI = .930; GFI = .878; RFI = .901). The study also demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .961) and criterion-related validity, as evidenced by significant correlations with related constructs (n = 100). A linguistic equivalence analysis involving 54 English-speaking participants provided preliminary evidence of cross-linguistic consistency. The findings indicate that the Kazakh version of the MIS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing moral integrity in higher education contexts. The scale is of practical relevance for the evaluation of moral development in university students. It offers potential contributions to ethics education, civic engagement, and global citizenship training within tertiary institutions. Beyond psychometric validation, the instrument provides higher education institutions with an evidence-based tool to assess students’ moral development, support ethics-focused curricula, and inform institutional integrity policies within university settings.

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