ATTITUDE SCALE TOWARD GUN OWNERSHIP (ASTGO): A VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY
Abstract
While research on gun ownership has expanded in recent years, existing measurement tools are still limited in scope and fail to capture the multidimensional nature of public attitudes. This study aims to develop a valid and reliable scale to assess attitudes toward gun ownership. An initial item pool of 25 statements was generated through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation. After pre-testing and pilot implementation, the pool was refined to 19 items. Data were collected from 570 individuals aged 18 to 60. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on a subsample of 340 participants, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was carried out on a separate group of 230 participants. Analyses resulted in a two-dimensional structure with 10 items, named “Attitude Toward Societal Gun Ownership” and “Attitude Toward Individual Gun Ownership.” Factor loadings ranged from 0.710 to 0.888, and model fit indices showed acceptable levels (X²/df = 2.198, CFI = 0.979, RMSEA = 0.072). The overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.936, with 0.941 and 0.890 for the two subdimensions. The results demonstrate that the developed scale is a valid and reliable tool for capturing multidimensional perceptions related to gun ownership.
Keywords
References
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