Educational environment perceptions across curriculum formats: structural associations among DREEM domains and academic self-perceptions

The study examined the validity of the DREEM (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure) instrument in 411 first and second-year medical students at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It confirmed the five-factor structure of the instrument with good statistical indicators. The research found that among first-year students, academic self-concept was associated with perceptions of learning and social environment, while among second-year students, all four environmental domains were associated with academic self-concept. Among male students, teacher and social environment perceptions were more strongly connected to academic self-concept, while among female students, learning quality and atmosphere were more strongly associated. The study found no significant differences between academic years or genders.