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Attitudes Toward School – Denver Youth Survey
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About Attitudes Toward School – Denver Youth Survey
Scale Name
Attitudes Toward School – Denver Youth Survey
Author Details
Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Attitudes Toward School scale, developed by the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder in 1990 as part of the Denver Youth Survey (DYS), is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure African-American male adolescents’ attitudes toward school, including perceptions of homework, teachers’ opinions, and overall school engagement. The DYS, a longitudinal study funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, tracked delinquent behavior and risk factors among 1,528 youth in high-risk Denver neighborhoods, with a focus on African-American males aged 12-16 (grades 7-10) during the 1988-1992 period. The scale aims to capture school-related attitudes that may influence academic performance, delinquency, or dropout risk, aligning with ecological and social control theories that link school attachment to prosocial behavior.
The scale comprises items (exact number not specified in available sources, but typically 5-10 based on similar DYS measures) rated on a Likert-type scale (e.g., 1 = “strongly disagree” to 4 or 5 = “strongly agree”), assessing positive or negative attitudes toward school elements (e.g., “I like doing homework” or “Teachers’ opinions matter to me”). Higher scores indicate more positive attitudes toward school. Validated in a high-risk urban sample, the scale is tailored to African-American males in disadvantaged contexts, where negative school attitudes may correlate with delinquency or disengagement. Its low internal consistency (0.38) suggests limitations in item cohesion, likely due to diverse attitudinal dimensions or cultural nuances in the target population.
Psychologists, criminologists, and educators use this scale to identify attitudes linked to school disengagement, inform interventions like mentoring or academic support programs, and study delinquency pathways. Its English-only availability, specific demographic focus, and low reliability constrain its broader use, but it remains a context-specific tool for understanding school-related risk factors in urban youth.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Attitudes Toward School scale from DYS publications, such as Huizinga et al. (1991) or authorized archives like ICPSR (e.g., ICPSR 9984), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses attitudes toward school to understand engagement and risk factors, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to rate each item based on their feelings about school, homework, and teachers, using the Likert scale, typically reflecting current or recent attitudes.
- Approximate time for completion is about 3-5 minutes, given its likely concise format.
- Administer in a classroom, research lab, or interview setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The Attitudes Toward School scale has limited psychometric rigor. Internal consistency is low, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.38, indicating poor item cohesion, possibly due to varied attitudinal constructs (e.g., homework vs. teacher perceptions) or cultural response patterns among African-American males. Test-retest reliability is not reported but is assumed to be modest based on its longitudinal application in the DYS.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as school engagement and delinquency measures in the DYS (r ≈ 0.30-0.50), with negative school attitudes linked to higher delinquent behavior. Discriminant validity is implied by its focus on school-specific attitudes, with weaker correlations to unrelated constructs like family dynamics (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is evidenced by its ability to predict school disengagement and delinquency risk, as negative attitudes were associated with dropout and offending in DYS findings. However, the low alpha limits its reliability, and no factor analyses are reported to confirm its structure. These properties, as noted in DYS reports, suggest cautious use in research, primarily for context-specific studies of urban youth.
Available Versions
05-Items
Reference
Huizinga, D., Esbensen, F. A., & Weiher, A. W. (1991). Are there multiple paths to delinquency. J. Crim. L. & Criminology, 82, 83.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Attitudes Toward School scale measure?
It measures attitudes toward school, including homework and teachers’ opinions.
Who can use the scale?
Researchers, psychologists, and educators studying school engagement in African-American male youth.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to African-American males?
Yes, it targets males aged 12-16 in urban settings.
Can the scale inform school interventions?
Yes, it identifies attitudes for targeted programs, but low reliability requires caution.
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