Assessing the construct validity of the AIDS Attitude Scale.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Assessing the construct validity of the AIDS Attitude Scale.

AIDS Educ Prev. 1998 Feb;10(1):75-89. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/98165998
Bruce KE; Reid BC; Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; 28403, USA. bruce@uncwil.edu

Abstract: To assess the construct validity of the AIDS Attitude Scale (AAS) Shrum, Turner, & Bruce, 1989), we administered it and related attitude scales to introductory psychology students (n = 279) and gay/lesbian support group members (n = 38). A subset of the students (n = 105) participated in a concurrent validity study; students donating items to an AIDS food pantry scored more tolerantly on the AAS than other students. AAS scores also differentiated subjects expected to have more tolerant attitudes toward people living with HIV and AIDS from other respondents, indicating known groups validity. As expected, AAS scores were positively correlated with attitudes about homosexuals and negatively correlated with authoritarian beliefs. However, AAS scores were not related to death anxiety. Attitudes about AIDS were distinguishable from related constructs using factor analysis. Together, these data provide evidence for the construct validity of the AAS. The need for valid assessment tools and uses of the AAS are discussed.

Keywords: *Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/PSYCHOLOGY *Attitude to Health *Questionnaires *Students/PSYCHOLOGY
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