There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

The present study examined the psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Multidimensional Attitude Toward Older Adults Scale (MATOAS), administered to a total of 787 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university. Factor structure of the MATOAS was investigated with a split-sampling approach in order to cross validate the findings between exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA suggested a four-factor structure with 25 items. These factors were named Respect and Appreciation (R-A), Irritation and Intolerance (I-I), Work Interests (W-I), and Social Connectedness (S-C). The results of CFA testing of the higher-order four-factor model showed significant improvement in various fit indices from the previously tested tripartite attitudes model (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960) and the uni-dimensional model.The MATOAS demonstrated fairly high internal consistency reliability (α = .88) and high test-retest reliability over a one week period (r =.89, p < .001). Convergent validity of the MATOAS with the refined version of the Aging Semantic Differential Scale (Polizzi & Millikin, 2002) and divergent validity with the 13-item Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Reynolds, 1982) also were promising. The present study provides extensive reviews of the Kogan Attitudes Toward Old People scale (Kogan, 1961 a) and the Aging Semantic Differential (Rosencranz & McNeivin, 1969) as well as established and contemporary guidelines for scale development work. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a competency-based training program on the attitudes of 45 teacher-aide trainees as defined and measured on two separate attitude measurement instruments. Instrument I, the Opinionnaire On Attitudes Toward Education, was designed to measure attitudes toward child-centered policies and practices in education. Instrument II, the Education Scale, was designed to measure attitudes varying from very favorable toward progressive educational practices to very favorable toward traditional educational practices.

M.A. (Sociology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The Contact Hypothesis (Amir, 1969) suggests that attitudes toward a minority group can be modified. However, attitudinal change depends upon the nature of the contact. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the B.C. Wheelchair Sports Demonstration Team Presentation on attitudes of junior high school students toward physically disabled persons This was measured by the Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP) (Yuker et al., 1960) and the Modified Issues in Disability Scale (MIDS) (Makas, 1985). The treatment consisted of a one hour structured program that included contact with physically disabled persons and information about their disabilities. One hundred and thirty-one able-bodied students (ages 13-15) from four junior high schools in two British Columbia school districts participated in this study. Students from one school in each district attended the British Columbia Wheelchair Sports Demonstration Team Presentation. Students from the other school did not attend and were assigned to the control group. This research used a one-group pretest-posttest design with a posttest-only control group as a follow-up . four weeks after the treatment. Subjects in the experimental group completed the ATDP prior to and immediately after the treatment. As a result of the high correlation (r=.91) between the MIDS and ATDP with a prior sample of 15 year old students, both experimental and control groups completed only the MIDS four weeks after the treatment. All subjects completed the Social History Questionnaire (SHQ) (Makas, 1989) on each occasion. The SHQ gathered information on gender, birth date, place of residence and prior contact with physically disabled persons. A t-test for dependent samples comparing differences between pre- and posttest MIDS scores of the experimental group was not significant (p=.112 for a 2-tailed test). However, in the follow-up portion of the study, an analysis of variance of the ATDP found a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p=.007). There were no significant interactions of gender, age or previous contact with treatment. The findings of this study show that able-bodied students' attitudes can be positively modified with an information plus contact program. Although the modification was not immediate, a delayed effect occurred. Three focuses of further investigations might include the following: a need for attitude modification research related to disabled persons particularly in the junior high school age group; continued reliability and validity testing of the MIDS, and a refinement of the SHQ to more accurately assess prior contact with disabled persons. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.