APPLICATION AND VALIDATION OF A SOCIAL RECOGNITION SCALE IN A PAKISTANI CONTEXT

Abstract

Social recognition the perception of being valued, respected, and appreciated within professional and social settings is a vital aspect of teacher well-being that strongly influences motivation, job satisfaction, and professional identity. Despite its importance, limited validated instruments exist to measure teachers’ perceptions of recognition, particularly within developing educational systems such as Punjab, Pakistan. This study aimed to validate a Social Recognition Scale (Zhang et al., 2023), specifically designed for primary school teachers, in a Pakistani context. Grounded in social identity, motivation, and self-determination theories, the scale was validated across five dimensions: status, prestige, care, respect, and social esteem. Data were collected from a sample of 300 primary school teachers selected through simple random sampling. Content validity was ensured through expert review and pilot testing. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency analysis, confirming high stability and coherence across dimensions. Construct validity was examined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), both supporting the multidimensional structure of the instrument. The findings confirmed that the SRS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing teachers’ perceptions of social recognition. The instrument provides a strong empirical foundation for future research on teacher motivation, satisfaction, and retention, and offers policymakers practical insights into enhancing teacher well-being and professional recognition within educational institutions.