Evaluating the learning environment in medicine:Validity and reliability of the Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale in a population of Colombian students

Introduction: The availability of instruments for measuring the learning environment in Spanish-language medical schools is limited. The Dundy ready environment Educational Measure (DREEM) is the only one available. The aim of this study was to determine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale (JHLES) in Spanish. Methods: The JHLES instrument was translated into Spanish following the recommendations of the IQola project. Subsequently, it was administered to a cohort of 362 third to seventh-year medical students during the clinical training cycle. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the obtained responses. Factor retention was determined by eigenvalue criteria, as well as the researchers' criteria. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the model's fit to the obtained data. Results: After content validation in collaboration with the original instrument's author, exploratory factor analysis allowed the retention of seven factors with eigenvalue criteria greater than 1, consistent with the authors' interpretation criteria. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated adequate model fit to the data in the population. The Cronbach's α for the JHLES was 0.91. Conclusions: The JHLES is an instrument that shows adequate content and construct validity in the Spanish language. Further studies are needed on other types of predictive and concurrent validity, as well as comparative studies on measurements in different Spanish-speaking countries.