Measuring the Social Appreciation of Cultural Heritage: A Study with Trainee Teachers

Abstract

Despite the critical importance attributed to developing the dimension of cultural heritage appreciation, research in heritage education has long lacked valid and reliable instruments to measure it—until the study by Vargas-Arteaga et al. (2024). The absence of such a tool in the Italian context motivated the present study, which examines the applicability of the MS-SACH questionnaire in Italy, involving 259 students enrolled in Primary Education Sciences. Statistical analysis revealed high internal consistency (α = 0.912) but identified a single latent factor, differing from the three-factor structure of the original English version. These findings indicate a solid factorial model overall, yet highlight the need for further cultural and linguistic adaptation, including the use of qualitative strategies such as thinking aloud, to enhance item comprehension and support the validation of the instrument within the Italian context.