Attitudes Scale Towards Potential Targets of Bullying: Elaboration and Evidence of Validity and Reliability

Acta.colomb.psicol. 20 (1): 242-253, 2017 http://www.dx.doi.org/10.14718/ACP.2017.20.1.12 Attitudes Scale Towards Potential Targets of Bullying: Elaboration and Evidence of Validity and Reliability Mardelides da Silva Lima1, Rildésia Silva Veloso Gouveia2, Ana Karla Silva Soares* 3, Rafaella de Carvalho Rodrigues Araújo4, Maria Gabriela Costa Ribeiro4, Tátila Rayane de Sampaio Brito4 y Valdiney Veloso Gouveia4. 1 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Mato Grosso, 2 Centro Universitário de João Pessoa, 3 Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul,4 Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Recibido, agosto 11/2016 Concepto de evaluación, septiembre 27/2016 Aceptado, noviembre 28/2016 Abstract Referencia: Da Silva Lima, M., Veloso Gouveia, R., Silva Soares, A.K., Rodrigues Araújo, R., Costa Ribeiro, M.G., de Sampaio Brito, T.R. & Veloso Gouveia, V. (2017). Attitudes towards potential targets of bullying scale: Elaboration and evidence of validity and reliability. Acta Colombiana de Psicología, 20(1), 242-253. DOI: 10.14718/ACP.2017.20.1.12 The present article aimed at describing the elaboration of a measurement of attitudes towards potential targets of bullying, gathering evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency. Two studies were performed with 800 secondary school students whose mean age was 15 years old, who answered the Attitudes Scale towards Potential Targets of Bullying (ASTPB) and some demographic questions. In Study 1 (n = 230) the discriminant power of the scale items was verified, and after performing an exploratory factor analysis two components were identified (appearance and gender issues and social exposure), with Cronbach’s alpha (α) of 0.81 and 0.70, respectively. In Study 2 (n = 570) a confirmatory factor analysis was performed (Maximum Likelihood), confirming the two-factor structure of the scale (αfactor I= 0.80 and αfactor II = 0.65; CR = 0.80 and 0.64, respectively). Moreover, evidence was also gathered of factorial invariance of this measure in groups of women and men. In conclusion this is a parsimonious measurement with evidences of validity and reliability, suggesting its adequacy for use when the goal is to evaluate attitudes towards potential targets of bullying. Key words: Bullying, scale, validity, reliability. Escala de actitudes hacia potenciales víctimas de bullying: elaboración y evidencias de validez y fiabilidad Resumen El presente artículo tuvo como objetivo describir la elaboración de una medida de actitudes hacia potenciales víctimas de bullying, reuniendo evidencias de validez factorial y consistencia interna de la Escala de Atitudes frente a Alvos Potenciais de Bullying (EAAPB) (Escala de actitudes hacia potenciales víctimas de bullying). Se realizaron dos estudios con 800 estudiantes de enseñanza secundaria, con edad promedio de 15 años, los cuales contestaron a preguntas demográficas y la EAAPB. En el Estudio 1 (n = 230) se comprobó el poder discriminativo de los ítems de la escala y se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio en el que se identificaron dos componentes: apariencia y temas de género (α = .81) y exposición social (α = .70). En el Estudio 2 (n = 570) se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio (máxima verosimilitud), en el que se comprobó la estructura bifactorial de la escala: el primer factor con α = .80 y CR = .80; y el segundo con α = .65 y CR =.64. Se reunieron evidencias sobre la invariancia factorial de la escala en grupos de mujeres y hombres. Se concluye que la EAFPB es una medida parsimoniosa que presenta evidencias de validez y confiabilidad, por lo que se sugiere su uso para evaluar las actitudes hacia potenciales víctimas de bullying. Palabras clave: Bullying, escala, validez, fiabilidad. * Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro de Ciências Humanas e Sociais (CCHS), Curso de Psicologia, Caixa Postal 549. CEP 79070-900, Campo Grande-MS. Teléfono: (55) 67 99845-0046. Attitudes Scale towards Potential Targets of Bullying 243 Escala de atitudes frente a alvos potenciais de bullying: elaboração e evidências de validade e precisão Resumo O presente artigo objetivou descrever a elaboração de uma medida de atitudes frente a potenciais alvos de bullying, reunindo evidências de sua validade fatorial e consistência interna. Realizaram-se dois estudos com estudantes secundaristas que tinham idade média de 15 anos, os quais responderam a Escala de Atitudes frente a Alvos Potenciais de Bullying (EAAPB) e perguntas demográficas. No Estudo 1 (n = 230) foi verificado o poder discriminativo dos itens desta medida e feita uma análise fatorial exploratória, emergindo dois componentes: aparência e questões de gênero e exposição social, cujos alfas de Cronbach (α) foram de 0,81 e 0,70, respectivamente. No Estudo 2 (n = 570) foi realizada uma análise fatorial confirmatória (Máxima Verossimilhança), que corroborou a estrutura bifatorial (αfator I = 0,80 e αfator II = 0,65; CC = 0,80 e 0,64, respectivamente). Ademais, reuniram-se evidências acerca da invariância fatorial desta escala entre mulheres e homens. Conclui-se que esta é uma medida parcimoniosa, apresentando evidências de validade e precisão que sugerem seu emprego quando o propósito for conhecer atitudes frente a alvos potenciais de bullying. Palavras-chave: Bullying, escala, validade, precisão. INTRODUCTION Bullying may be understood as a set of aggressive, intentional, and repetitive attitudes without evident motivation, within a relationship of unequal power, that are adopted by one individual or more against another to intimidate them. In consequence, it will cause pain, anguish, suffering and feelings of vulnerability, shame, and/or low self-esteem (Middelton-Moz & Zawadski, 2007). According to Vanderbilt and Augustyn (2010), bullying is typically related to the bully’s attempts for power affirmation via repeated and intentional aggression towards individuals whom s/he considers to be weaker (victims). Therefore, it does not consist in a mere fight between two individuals who are equal in physical and psychological strength, but in a quarrel based on power imbalance and repetition of behaviour (Viscente, 2010). Bullying comprises several types of behaviours that may be motivated, for instance, by ethnic, religious, sexual, or gender-related issues. According to Olweus (1991), bullying may be classified as: (1) indirect, characterised by situations of subtle intimidation, such as social isolation, exclusion, defamation, and provocations related to some disabilityrelated, racial, or sexual particularity in the victim, causing pain and suffering; or (2) direct, manifested by physical or verbal aggression, such as kicking, pushing, mocking, and the attribution of pejorative nicknames. This categorisation shows that bullying has several forms of expression, including physical (e.g., hitting, pinching, spitting), verbal (e.g., insults, threats), and relational (e.g., gossip, social exclusion) aggression. In add (...truncated)