Attitude Toward Mediation Scale (AMS)

Abstract

The Attitude Toward Mediation Scale (AMS), developed by Helsen (2023), is an original psychological inventory designed to quantitatively assess public opinion and disposition toward the use of mediation as a method of dispute resolution. Its development was grounded in a theory-driven framework, specifically incorporating the tripartite model of attitude (Triandis, 1971), which posits that attitude comprises three fundamental components: emotion, cognition, and motivation.

The initial item pool of 27 statements was refined through expert analysis, resulting in a final 16-item measure distributed across these three subdimensions (seven for emotion, five for cognition, and four for motivation). Psychometric evaluation utilized data collected from a sample of Flemish adults. Analysis of three nested factor models—single-factor, second-order, and bifactor—indicated that the second-order factor structure provided the most robust and acceptable fit for the instrument, confirming that the three subdimensions load onto a higher-order construct of overall attitude toward mediation. The scale also demonstrated acceptable levels of internal consistency. The author suggested that further studies should explore additional validity evidence, such as convergent and discriminant validity (Kazdin, 2003; Messick, 1995).

Keywords

Attitude toward Mediation, Cognition, Dispute Resolution, Emotion, Motivation, Public Opinion, Psychometric Scale.

Authors

Helsen, Valerie.

Purpose

The primary objective of the AMS is to accurately measure the general public’s disposition, beliefs, and feelings concerning mediation as an alternative approach to conflict resolution. It is specifically designed to capture the multifaceted nature of this public opinion, allowing researchers to gauge acceptance and potential barriers to the broader adoption of mediated solutions within the general population.

Construct

The AMS is conceptualized as a measure of the overarching construct of Attitude Toward Mediation, structured according to the classic tripartite model of attitude (Triandis, 1971). This model defines attitude not as a monolithic entity but as a composite factor encompassing three distinct, yet interrelated, first-order dimensions:

• Emotion: Reflecting affective responses and feelings (e.g., comfort, anxiety) associated with mediation.

• Cognition: Reflecting beliefs, knowledge, and evaluations (e.g., effectiveness, fairness) about the mediation process.

• Motivation: Reflecting behavioral intentions and willingness to engage in or recommend mediation.

The overall score on the AMS represents the second-order factor—the general attitude toward the process—which is strongly predicted by the scores on these three underlying components.

Validity

Although the initial development focused primarily on establishing the robust construct validity through factor analysis, specific external validity evidence, such as convergent validity and discriminant validity, was not reported in the foundational study. The author explicitly recommended that future research efforts should focus on gathering this supplementary validity evidence, aligning with established psychometric standards (Messick, 1995). The strong support for the theoretically derived factor structure serves as initial evidence for the instrument’s internal structural validity.

Reliability

The reliability of the AMS was assessed using internal consistency measures. Due to the instrument’s factor structure, the reliability was calculated using the Omega coefficient ($omega$), which is often preferred over Cronbach’s alpha in factor models. The resulting coefficients indicated good to acceptable internal consistency across all subscales:

• Emotion Subscale: $omega = .84$

• Motivation Subscale: $omega = .84$

• Cognition Subscale: $omega = .74$

These values confirm that the items within each subdimension are reliably measuring their respective facets of attitude toward mediation.

Factor Analysis

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to test the fit of the proposed three-factor structure. The analysis compared three nested models (single-factor, bifactor, and second-order), with results strongly favoring the second-order factor model, which demonstrated an adequate statistical fit to the data. Key findings included:

• Inter-Factor Correlations: Correlations among the first-order factors (emotion, cognition, motivation) were high, ranging from .79 to .85, suggesting that while distinct, they are highly related components of a single underlying construct.

• First-Order Loadings: Standardized factor loadings for the individual items onto their respective subscales were moderate to high (0.41 to 0.82), confirming that the items strongly relate to their theorized dimensions.

• Second-Order Loadings: Standardized higher-order factor loadings were exceptionally strong (0.89 to 0.95), indicating a powerful relationship between the three subscales and the overall Attitude factor.

The CFA demonstrated that the attitude factor accounts for a substantial amount of variance: 85.34% of the total score variance and 94.03% of the variance within the first-order factors. This robust statistical evidence supports the use of the AMS as a measure of a single, global attitude toward mediation predicted by its three components.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The AMS is a 16-item measure. Items are rated on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). An average score is calculated for each participant, with higher scores indicating a more positive attitude toward mediation.

Language Available: Dutch, English (Language Present).

Population Group: Human (Male and Female).

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older), including Young Adulthood (18-29 years), Thirties (30-39 years), Middle Age (40-64 years), and Aged (65 years & older).

Population Details: The initial validation study was conducted in Belgium, utilizing respondents from the general population aged 18-80 years.

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Construct Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Keywords

Attitude, Mediation, Psychological Inventory, Factor Structure, Tripartite Model, Reliability, Belgium.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0003-2466-8382

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Helsen, Valerie: KU Leuven, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Leuven, Belgium, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author.

Commercial Use: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

• Helsen, V. (2023). Development of the attitude toward mediation scale. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 40(4), 447–465. doi.org/10.1002/crq.21380

Items of the Attitude Toward Mediation Scale (AMS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

No data is Available