Brazilian cross-cultural adaptation and content validity of the Delaware School Climate Survey-Student (DSCS-S)

School climate assessments aim to evaluate the social, emotional, ethical, academic and environmental aspects of school life, such as rules, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices as well as institutional structures. This paper presents the process of cross-cultural adaptation and content validity investigation of the Delaware School Climate Survey Student (DSCS-S) in Brazil. A content validity research was conducted through the content validity coefficient (CVC). The process consisted in translations and back-translation steps, pilot study with the target population, evaluations by an expert committee and rigorous revisions of the instrument. The analysis suggest the importance of a thorough method of cross-cultural adaptation to ensure its content validity, and the existence of content validity evidence (CVC > 0.8 for all instrument's scales) of the DSCS-S in Brazil. This instrument can support Brazilian schools to assess its climate in order to develop more effective school strategies, programs and policies.