Psychometric and structural analysis of the thesis advisor abuse scale through network analysis

Introduction – Mistreatment in thesis advising is a problem that affects the mental health of university students. As a measurement resource, the scale of mistreatment towards the thesis advisor (EMAT) evaluates this phenomenon from three dimensions: mistreatment by the advisor, the thesis jury, and the administrative staff. Objective – To analyze the psychometric structure of the EMAT using network analysis to examine the interactions among the dimensions of academic abuse in the thesis advising process. Methodology – This research belongs to the instrumental design, crosssectional, and was carried out in 514 Peruvian university students, selected through intentional nonprobabilistic sampling. The psychometric properties were evaluated through Exploratory Graphic Analysis (EGA) and bootstrap procedures (bootEGA), using the R software. Results – A solid and stable three-dimensional structure was evidenced. From the bootEGA, items with low replicability were eliminated, which allowed the identification of three clearly differentiated communities: mistreatment by the advisor, the thesis jury, and the administrative staff, with high levels of stability (replication ≥.94). Finally, robust loads were observed in each dimension, supporting the scale's structural validity and reliability. Conclusion – The EMAT presents a stable three-dimensional structure to evaluate abuse towards the thesis advisor, constituting a psychometrically solid tool for the identification and prevention of these situations in the university environment.