Validation of the Test of Transversal Competencies (TECO-T) in Healthcare Students Form Sapienza University of Rome

The assessment of transversal competencies—such as literacy, numer-acy, problem-solving, and civics—is increasingly recognized as essential for aca-demic and professional success, particularly in health professions education. How-ever, there is a lack of validated tools that measure these competencies within spe-cific curricular contexts in Italy. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TECO-T (Transversal Competencies Test), focusing on its inter-nal consistency and cross-program validity among undergraduate students enrolled in health professions degree programs. A total of 3,643 students from Sapienza University of Rome completed the TECO-T, a 40-item multiple-choice test cover-ing four competency areas. Items were selected from a nationally validated item bank. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, and ANOVA were used to assess internal consistency and score variation across academic programs and student cohorts. TECO-T demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α > 0.74 across subtests). Statistically significant differences emerged between programs, with higher literacy scores in Dietetics and Pediatric Nursing, and stronger numeracy performance in Physiotherapy and Speech Therapy. Competency scores improved progressively across academic years, supporting the tool’s ability to track student development. TECO-T is a reliable tool for assessing transversal competencies in healthcare education. The results suggest its potential use in guiding curricular improvements and monitoring academic growth. Future studies should explore its predictive validity and applicability across disciplines and institutions.