This study responds to the recent arrival of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic and the ongoing public and professional discourse surrounding inclusive education. As schools increasingly serve linguistically and culturally diverse student populations, teachers’ attitudes play a critical role in shaping inclusive classroom practices and educational outcomes (Moberg et al., 2019; Pivarč, 2024; Woodcock & Anderson, 2024). Grounded in the tripartite ABC model of attitudes—encompassing affective, behavioral, and cognitive components— (Duckitt, 1992; Katz & Stotland, 1959; Newcomb et al., 1966), the study aims to examine the construct validity and reliability of a newly developed research instrument assessing primary school teachers’ attitudes towards both inclusive education and pupils of Ukrainian background.

The research instrument consists of two theoretically aligned scales. The first scale measures attitudes towards inclusive education and is inspired by the widely used Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale or shortened MATIES (Mahat, 2008). However, the instrument was substantially modified to reflect the specific features of the Czech educational context; therefore, it is treated as a newly developed instrument rather than an adaptation. The second scale focuses on teachers’ attitudes towards pupils of Ukrainian background and was constructed using the same theoretical framework to ensure conceptual consistency across both measures. Both scales retain a three-dimensional structure corresponding to the ABC model and employ four-point Likert-type items.

Prior to the main data collection, the instrument underwent qualitative pretesting to evaluate item clarity and response processes. Eight focus groups involving a total of 32 teachers from four primary schools were conducted to assess participants’ understanding of the items and the functionality of the response scale. Based on participant feedback, selected items were revised to better align with their intended meanings while preserving the instrument's theoretical structure. The quantitative phase of the study will involve a convenience sample of primary school teachers from 39 schools in one region of the Czech Republic, aiming to recruit at least 600 respondents. Data will be collected through school-based survey administration. Construct validity will be tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency will be evaluated using McDonald’s omega.

The expected outcomes of the study include verifying the instrument’s construct validity and reliability, as well as empirically measuring the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of teachers’ attitudes. Furthermore, the study seeks to examine potential correlations among these attitude components and across both scales, thereby contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the internal structure of teacher attitudes in the context of inclusive and migration-responsive education. By developing and validating a contextually sensitive instrument, this study seeks to contribute methodologically to research on teacher attitudes while also addressing an urgent educational issue in Central Europe. Understanding how teachers perceive inclusive education and pupils with recent migration experience is essential for informing teacher preparation, professional development, and policy initiatives that support equitable educational environments (Woodcock & Jones, 2020; Yada et al., 2018). As teacher perceptions are a primary determinant of inclusive classroom culture (Woodcock & Anderson, 2024), understanding these attitudes is vital in contexts like the Czech Republic, where practitioners often view 'top-down' inclusive reforms with skepticism or resistance (Štech & Smetáčková, 2023). The findings are expected to provide empirically grounded insights into the structure of teacher attitudes and to offer a reliable measurement tool for future research examining inclusion in rapidly changing educational contexts.

The main aim of the study is to verify the construct validity and reliability of a research instrument comprising two scales measuring primary school teachers’ attitudes towards both inclusive education and pupils of Ukrainian background. The first research scale is inspired by the already validated and repeatedly adapted MATIES instrument, which measures attitudes towards inclusive education. However, for the purposes of this study, the research instrument was substantially modified to correspond to the Czech educational context; therefore, it is treated as a newly developed instrument rather than an adaptation of MATIES. The theoretical three-dimensional structure derived from the tripartite ABC model of attitude components has been retained. Each theoretical dimension contains statements rated on a 4-point Likert scale. The second research scale is also based on the theoretical tripartite ABC model of attitudes and measures attitudes towards pupils of Ukrainian origin. It likewise contains statements with a four-point Likert scale. After developing the research scales, eight focus groups were conducted with 32 teachers from four schools. The aim of the focus groups was to verify the comprehension of the items and the functionality of the selected Likert scale. Based on the focus group results, some items were revised to ensure teachers’ understanding aligned with the intended meaning. Subsequently, quantitative data collection will be carried out. The quantitative research sample comprises convenience-sampled teachers from 39 primary schools in one region of the Czech Republic, with the aim of recruiting at least 600 respondents. Data will be collected in person at schools following prior arrangement and with the consent of school principals. To verify the instrument's construct validity, a confirmatory factor analysis using the WLSMV estimator will be conducted, as it is appropriate given the data type. Internal consistency reliability will be assessed using McDonald’s omega, which is suitable for multidimensional instruments (Dunn et al., 2013). Ethical aspects of the research were discussed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Masaryk University.

The study is expected to provide empirical evidence supporting the construct validity and reliability of a newly developed instrument designed to measure primary school teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education and towards pupils of Ukrainian origin within the Czech educational context. Confirmatory factor analysis is anticipated to support the proposed three-dimensional structure, grounded in the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of the ABC model, thereby reinforcing the instrument's theoretical grounding. Internal consistency estimates are likewise expected to demonstrate satisfactory reliability across both scales and their respective subdimensions. Beyond validation, the study will generate detailed insights into the structure of teachers’ attitudes by measuring the relative strength of each attitudinal component. This multidimensional perspective will enable a more nuanced understanding of how emotional responses, beliefs, and intended practices jointly constitute teachers’ professional dispositions towards inclusion and migration-related diversity. The analysis is further expected to reveal meaningful correlations among the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components, contributing to ongoing discussions about the internal coherence of attitudes and their implications for educational practice.

Duckitt, J. H. (1992). The Social Psychology of Prejudice. Praeger. Dunn, T. J., Baguley, T., & Brunsden, V. (2013). From alpha to omega: A practical solution to the pervasive problem of internal consistency estimation. British Journal of Psychology, 105(3), 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12046 Katz, D., & Stotland, E. (1959). A preliminary statement of a theory of attitude structure and change. In S. Koch (Ed.), Psychology: A Study of a Science. Formulations of the person and the social context. (Vol. 3, pp. 423–476). McGraw-Hill. https://archive.org/details/psychologyastudy017916mbp/page/422/mode/2up Mahat, M. (2008). The development of a psychometrically-sound instrument to measure teachers’ multidimensional attitudes toward inclusive education. International Journal of Special Education (IJSE), 23(1), 82–92. Moberg, S., Muta, E., Korenaga, K., Kuorelahti, M., & Savolainen, H. (2019). Struggling for inclusive education in Japan and Finland: teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(1), 100–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1615800 Newcomb, T. M., Converse, P. E., & Turner, R. H. (1966). Social Psychology. The study of Human Interaction. New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Pivarč, J. (2024). Postoje učitelů základních škol k inkluzivnímu vzdělávání. Studia Paedagogica, 29(1), 83–107. https://doi.org/10.5817/sp2024-1-4 Štech, S., & Smetáčková, I. (2023). Teacher and parental views on inclusive education policy lending in the Czech Republic. European Journal of Education, 58(2), 233–244. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12557 Woodcock, S., & Anderson, J. (2024). Conceptions to classrooms: The influence of teacher knowledge on inclusive classroom practice. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 8, 100412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100412 Woodcock, S., & Jones, G. (2020). Examining the interrelationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and their beliefs towards inclusive education for all. Teacher Development, 24(4), 583–602. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2020.1803957 Yada, A., Tolvanen, A., & Savolainen, H. (2018). Teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy on implementing inclusive education in Japan and Finland: A comparative study using multi-group structural equation modelling. Teaching and Teacher Education, 75, 343–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.07.011