Date of Award:

5-1987

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Applied Sciences, Technology, and Education

Department name when degree awarded

Home Economics and Consumer Education

Committee Chair(s)

Jean M. Lown

Committee

Jean M. Lown

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to establish the validity and reliability of the scores on an instrument which assesses attitudes toward seeking help for financial problems . Content, criterion-related, and construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the scores on the instrument were examined. The Hughes' conceptual model of the Family in Financial Crisis provided the theoretical basis for this study .

The sample size of this study was 510. The instrument evaluated was based on a scale developed by Rimm (1975) to assess attitudes toward seeking help for financial problems. Total scores on the 16-item instrument ranged from 8 to 46, with a mean of 28.71, and were normally distributed.

Content validity of the attitude scale was confirmed by a jury of financial counseling professionals. Criterion-related validity was examined using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess the relationship between total scores on the attitude scale and responses to three criterion questions. A significant relationship was found between responses of two of the three questions and attitude scores.

Construct validity was confirmed by evaluating the relationship between attitude scores and the demographic variables of gender and socioeconomic status (SES) using an ANOVA. Females and respondents with higher SES had more positive attitudes toward seeking help.

An ANOVA was also used to compare the demographic variables, age and religion, and attitude scores. No relationship was found between these variables and attitude scores. Using factor analysis, three factors were identified: confidence/willingness to seek help (7 items), stigma tolerance (6 items), and self-sufficiency (3 items). Internal consistency reliability of the scale, measured using Cronbach's Alpha, was .82. Based on comments from the jury and the data analyses, a revised instrument, the Financial Counseling Attitude Scale, was developed.

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8548b22913a0a1a012a7bf3bada79bd9

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