RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Atitudes Ambientais para Crianças (EAAC) e da Escala Infantil de Satisfação com o Ambiente (EISA) por meio de análises de componentes principais, consistência interna e análises fatoriais confirmatórias. Participaram 1.746 crianças (53,5% meninas) com idades entre oito e 13 anos (M = 10,17; DP = 1,492) residentes em Porto Alegre (54,9%) e interior do Rio Grande do Sul. A EAAC apresentou composição unifatorial, consistência interna adequada e bons índices de ajuste. Na EISA, foram identificados dois componentes (Satisfação com o entorno e Conectividade) com consistência interna moderada e índices de ajuste satisfatórios. O estudo contribuiu para o desenvolvimento de instrumentos de mensuração da relação criança-ambiente no idioma português brasileiro.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Children’s Environmental Attitudes Scale and the Children's Environmental Satisfaction Scale through principal component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis. Participants were 1,746 children (53.5% girls) between 8 and 13 years of age (M = 10.17; SD = 1.492) residents of Porto Alegre (54.9%) and inner municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul State. The first scale presented an unifactorial solution, adequate internal consistency and good fit indices. Two components were identified in the second scale (Satisfaction with the environment and Connectivity) with moderate levels of internal consistency and satisfactory fit indices. The study contributed to the development of instruments concerning child-environment relationship in Brazilian Portuguese language.

Resumen El objetivo del estudio es verificar si existen diferencias entre las actitudes ambientales de niños (8 - 12 años) del sur de Brasil con relación al sexo, tipo de escuela (pública o privada), ciudad de residencia y edad. Además, se buscó comprender la percepción de los niños acerca de las actitudes ambientales. Para esto, la investigación fue realizada en dos etapas: en la primera, cuantitativa (n = 1719) se utilizó la Escala de Actitudes Ambientales para Niños y en la segunda etapa, cualitativa, fueron realizados tres grupos focales (n = 27). Los resultados señalaron que los niños que viven en ciudades del interior o los que frecuentan escuelas públicas tienden a desarrollar más actitudes favorables al ambiente, así como los niños más pequeños. Los niños demostraron preocuparse con la crisis ambiental y mencionaron tener actitudes ambientales cotidianas y de activismo.

Abstract The aim of this paper is to verify differences between environmental attitudes of children (8 to 12 years old) in the south of Brazil considering sex, school (public or private), city of residence and age. Also sought to understand the perception of children about the environmental attitudes. Considering this, the research was conducted in two stages: first, in a quantitative study (n = 1719), the Children's Environmental Attitudes Scale have been used and in the second stage, a qualitative study was conducted through three focus groups (n = 27). The outcomes reveals that children living in inner cities or those who attend puclic schools tend to develop more favorable environmental attitudes, as well as younger children. Children showed concern with the environmental crises and mentioned having environmental attitudes, either daily attitudes or activism.