Emigration Attitudes Scale (EAS)

Abstract

The Emigration Attitudes Scale (EAS), developed by Bakalova and Panchelieva in 2023, originated from a comprehensive research project. The primary goal of this study was to examine how risk propensity, viewed as a stable personality characteristic, influences and predicts the attitudes toward emigration among young Bulgarian adults. The research specifically analyzed generational differences between Millennials and Zoomers (Generation Z).

Scale development utilized rigorous methodology, including extensive literature reviews and qualitative analysis derived from semi-structured calendar interviews. These interviews were conducted between June and November 2020 with young Bulgarian individuals (ages 18 to 35) residing in diverse geographical settings within Bulgaria. To ensure cross-cultural validity, the five finalized items underwent a meticulous back-translation process, which was validated by two external experts. Subsequent administration and statistical analysis confirmed that the EAS is a reliable and valid instrument, extracting a single, unified factor labeled “emigration attitudes.”

Keywords

Emigration Attitudes, External Validity, Millennials, Zoomers, Attitude Measures, Immigration, Emerging Adulthood, Risk Propensity.

Authors

Diana Bakalova, Tsvetelina Panchelieva

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Purpose

The Emigration Attitudes Scale (EAS) is specifically designed as a psychometric tool to quantitatively evaluate the degree and nature of attitudes concerning emigration. Its target demographic is young adults in Bulgaria, focusing specifically on individuals identified as belonging to the Millennial and Zoomer cohorts (ages 18–35).

The scale serves a critical function in psychological and demographic research by providing a standardized measure for predicting migratory intentions and understanding the underlying personality factors, such as risk-taking behavior, that drive favorable or unfavorable views toward leaving one’s home country.

Construct

The single primary psychological construct measured by the Emigration Attitudes Scale is Emigration Attitudes.

This construct encapsulates the individual’s overall disposition, feelings, beliefs, and behavioral intentions regarding the act of permanently or semi-permanently moving abroad from Bulgaria.

Validity

Robust evidence was established supporting both the external validity and convergent validity of the EAS. The research confirmed a significant relationship between the measured attitudes and a key personality trait: risk propensity.

Specifically, the study demonstrated that risk propensity, particularly within the social risk domain, acts as a powerful predictor of emigration attitudes among young Bulgarians. This predictive strength was found to be more pronounced when analyzing the responses of Millennials compared to Zoomers. A clear positive correlation was identified, indicating that individuals exhibiting a higher propensity for risk-taking tend to hold more favorable or positive attitudes toward emigration.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Emigration Attitudes Scale was assessed using statistical measures, yielding strong results.

The reported Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the scale was .86, which is indicative of high internal reliability, suggesting that the five items consistently measure the same underlying construct.

Factor Analysis

A statistical procedure known as Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was employed to analyze the factor structure of the EAS items.

The analysis conclusively supported a unidimensional structure, revealing that a single extracted factor, formally labeled “emigration attitudes,” accounted for a substantial and highly satisfactory portion of the total variance, with cumulative loadings reaching 64.65%.

Instrument

Test Type: This instrument is categorized as an original rating scale developed specifically for this research context.

Format: The EAS comprises 5 items. Responses are captured using a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (indicating “strongly disagree”) to 5 (indicating “strongly agree”). The standard administration method is electronic.

Language Available: The scale is available in both English and Bulgarian, following a rigorous back-translation validation process.

Population Group: The instrument is intended for use with general human populations, including both males and females.

Age Group: It is designed for adults aged 18 years and older, with a primary focus on the developmental stages of Young Adulthood (18-29 years) and the Thirties (30-39 years).

Population Details: The scale was initially developed and validated using a sample of young adults residing in Bulgaria, specifically those between the ages of 18 and 35.

Test Methodology: The validation process involved comprehensive psychometric procedures, including the establishment of Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, and Principal Component Analysis.

Keywords

Emigration Attitudes, External Validity, Millennials, Zoomers, Likert Scale, Cronbach’s Alpha, Psychometrics.

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Authors and Correspondence

Diana Bakalova

• Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3366-6402

• Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Population and Human Studies, Department of Psychology, Ul. Akad. Georgi Bonchev 6, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1113

Tsvetelina Panchelieva

• Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8846-6483

• Affiliation Email addresses: No data is Available

• Correspondence Address: No data is Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Interested parties seeking to utilize the Emigration Attitudes Scale must contact the corresponding author, Diana Bakalova, to obtain necessary permissions.

Commercial Use: The instrument is currently not available for commercial use.

Fee: There is no fee required to use this scale for academic or non-commercial research purposes.

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Bakalova, D., & Panchelieva, T. (2023). Risk propensity as a personality antecedent of emigration attitudes among Bulgarian Millennials and Zoomers. European Journal of Psychology Open, 82(2), 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1024/2673-8627/a000037

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Items of the Emigration Attitudes Scale (EAS)

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

No data is Available