THE SCALE OF KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS ABOUT CHILD MOLESTERS (KACMS): VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to develop the Child Molesters Knowledge and Awareness Scale (KACMS), and examine the psychometric properties of the scale. Two study groups were conducted among a total of 610 (366+244) Turkish adults aged from 18 to 49. According to explanatory factor analysis results, it was found that the KACMS had two-factors and this model explained 48.80% of variance related to the attribute it measured. In confirmatory factor analysis, fit index values were found as χ2= 132.26, df= 50 (χ2/df=2.64), RMSEA= .08, SRMR=.065, NFI= .94, RFI= .92, IFI= .96, CFI= .96, and TLI= .95. Factor loadings ranged from .40 to .91. In the concurrent validity, the KACMS had significant relationship with the Perceptions toward Criminals Scale (r= .64). Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient was α=.94 for the whole scale, α=.96 for the grooming methods, α=.75 for the characteristics of child molesters. Corrected item-total correlations ranged from .32 to .85. According to these results, it can be said that the scale is a valid and reliable assessment instrument in order to scale knowledge and awareness level of undergraduates (school counseling, social work, psychology, pedagogy, forensic psychiatry, and other fields) who are able to work children on sexual molesters and their grooming methods.

Keywords

• Sexual abuse
• child molesters
• offender
• perpetrator
• grooming methods
• scale
• validation
• reliability

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