Measuring children's attitudes towards peers with disabilities: a review of instruments

Abstract

This study aimed to identify instruments for measuring children's attitudes towards their peers with disabilities that are suitable for use in epidemiological studies and to report on their psychometric properties. A literature review was conducted to identify instruments measuring at least one of the three components of children's attitudes (affective, behavioural, or cognitive measures) towards peers with disabilities and which are intended for self-completion by children. Criteria used to appraise these instruments were appropriateness, acceptability, validity, reliability, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Of the 19 instruments matching the inclusion criteria, 16 measured only one attitude component (affective, n=4; behavioural, n=5; cognitive, n=7); one measured cognitive and behavioural components; and two (Acceptance Scale and Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps Scale [CATCH]) measured all three components. The majority of instruments, and those most widely used, were developed in the 1970s and 80s and so do not cover some aspects relevant to current culture, although they are still being used in research. Acceptable levels of validity and reliability were reported. Detailed descriptions of the initial validation process were available for the Acceptance Scale, Adjective Checklist, CATCH, and Peer Attitudes Towards the Handicapped Scale. The Acceptance Scale and CATCH seem to be the most complete instruments among those identified as they include all three attitude components and have appropriate psychometric properties.