Factor Analysis of Institutionalizing Environmental Behavior among Iraqi Students with a Sustainable Development Approach

Abstract

The present research employed a descriptive-survey method. The statistical population consisted of all secondary school biology teachers within the Iraqi Ministry of Education, totaling 431 individuals during the 2024–2025 academic year. The sampling method was stratified random sampling, and based on Cochran's sample size formula, 136 secondary school biology teachers from urban areas were selected for the study. The research instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire comprising 94 items and five dimensions (causal conditions, contextual conditions, strategic conditions, intervening conditions, and consequential conditions). Data collection was conducted in two stages: library research and field study. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling). Overall, the findings indicated that the most significant component of causal conditions was environmental conservation culture-building (factor loading = 0.98); for contextual conditions, it was environmental learning activities (factor loading = 0.98); for intervening conditions, it was unexpected environmental changes and lack of appropriate educational conditions (factor loading = 0.96); for strategic conditions, it was environmental knowledge sharing and emotional engagement with the environment (factor loading = 0.98); and for consequential conditions, it was increased environmental awareness (factor loading = 0.98). The results also showed that the "Model for Institutionalizing Environmental Behavior among Iraqi Students with a Sustainable Development Approach" demonstrated a good model fit.