A Pilot Study for Validating a Questionnaire on Perceptions of Barriers to Upward Mobility by Women Administrators in International Schools in Mexico and the United States.

This pilot study was conducted with a sample of 25 female administrators. Fourteen of the participants are employed in Alabama public schools, while seven work in international schools in the United States, and the remaining four are administrators in international schools in Mexico. The international schools in the study are listed in the "ISS (International School Services) Directory of Overseas Schools." It examines the perceptions that female administrators have in relation to the barriers confronting them in striving for upward mobility. A Cronbach's alpha analysis was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. In addition, a principal components analysis with a varimax rotation was performed. This identified four factors, which are described as: (1) support systems barriers; (2) social barriers; (3) self-imposed barriers; and (4) cultural barriers. (Contains 4 tables and 69 references.) (Author/SLD)