Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI)

Abstract

The Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI) is a specialized psychometric instrument developed by Punia and Berwal in 2017. Its primary function is to measure the level of alienation experienced by students who are visually impaired, particularly within the context of special and inclusive educational settings in India. The scale consists of 45 items categorized across six distinct dimensions of alienation, providing a comprehensive assessment of the psychological and social challenges faced by this specific population group. The AL-VI is crucial for identifying students at risk of psychosocial distress related to their disability.

Keywords

Alienation, Visual Impairment, Special Education, Inclusive Education, Psychometric Properties, Powerlessness, Social Isolation, Self-Estrangement, Normlessness, Meaninglessness, Cultural Estrangement.

Authors

Poonam Punia, Sandeep Berwal.

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Purpose

The central purpose of the AL-VI scale is to quantitatively assess the degree of psychological and social alienation among visually impaired students. This measurement is vital for understanding the psycho-social adjustment of these students, especially concerning their integration into mainstream or specialized educational environments.

By identifying the specific facets of alienation—ranging from feelings of powerlessness to social isolation—the instrument aids educators, counselors, and policymakers in understanding and addressing the unique psycho-social barriers that impede the full integration and overall well-being of visually impaired students in academic and community life. The scores can inform targeted intervention strategies aimed at promoting better psychological adjustment.

Construct

The AL-VI is constructed around the multifaceted psychological concept of alienation, adapting established sociological and psychological theories (such as those by Seeman) to the lived experience of visual impairment. The scale measures six primary, empirically derived dimensions:

• Powerlessness: Measures the extent to which the student feels unable to control their personal outcomes, resources, or environmental access due to visual limitations. (Items 1, 2, 15, 16, 29, 43, 44)
• Meaninglessness: Reflects a sense that personal life goals, societal involvement, or existence itself lacks purpose, clarity, or direction. (Items 14, 27, 28, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45)
• Normlessness: Assesses the belief that conventional social rules or norms are ineffective or irrelevant, leading to a tendency to approve of or engage in socially deviant behaviors to achieve personal ends. (Items 13, 24, 25, 26, 37, 38)
• Social Isolation: Quantifies feelings of detachment, loneliness, or being estranged from family, friends, neighbors, or the broader community network. (Items 3, 4, 5, 12, 20, 21, 22, 23, 34, 35, 36)
• Self-Estrangement: Measures a lack of fulfillment or authentic self-expression derived from personal activities and achievements, often stemming from negative self-perceptions related to the disability. (Items 6, 7, 10, 11, 18, 19, 32, 33)
• Cultural Estrangement: Indicates a disconnection from or rejection of traditional cultural activities, rituals, or social events, often resulting from accessibility barriers or the perceived inability to participate fully. (Items 8, 9, 17, 30, 31)

Validity

The development of the AL-VI included rigorous steps to establish its psychometric properties. Content validity was ensured through a comprehensive review process involving experts in psychology and special education, confirming that the scale items adequately cover the domain of alienation specific to visually impaired students. Item analysis further refined the scale, ensuring that each item contributes meaningfully to its respective subscale.

Furthermore, construct validity was supported by the resulting six-factor structure derived from factor analysis. The empirical differentiation of these six dimensions provides strong evidence that the AL-VI accurately measures the intended, theoretically distinct facets of the complex alienation construct.

Reliability

The standardization process for the AL-VI confirmed its reliability, indicating the scale’s consistency and stability in measurement. Reliability was established through internal consistency measures (typically Cronbach’s Alpha) across the 45 items and within each of the six subscales. High reliability coefficients ensure that the items within each factor are consistently measuring the same underlying dimension of alienation in the population of visually impaired students, minimizing measurement error.

Factor Analysis

The structural integrity of the Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI) was established through factor analysis (likely Exploratory Factor Analysis). This procedure confirmed a robust six-factor model, supporting the theoretical breakdown of the alienation construct into its constituent parts: Powerlessness, Meaninglessness, Normlessness, Social Isolation, Self-estrangement, and Cultural Estrangement.

This successful six-factor solution confirms the multidimensional nature of alienation as experienced specifically by students with visual impairment. The factor loadings indicated that the items loaded strongly onto their respective theoretical factors, thereby validating the internal structure and supporting the use of the six subscale scores for diagnostic and research purposes.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychological assessment scale

Format: 45 items utilizing a 5-point Likert scale format. Responses range from “5=strongly disagree,” “4= disagree,” “3=undecided,” “2=agree” and “1=strongly agree.” Items marked with an asterisk (*) are reverse-scored to control for response set bias.

Language Available: English (As presented in the published literature).

Population Group: Students with Visual Impairment (including those with total blindness and low vision).

Age Group: School-aged students (typically secondary school level, given the cognitive requirements for the self-report format).

Population Details: Developed and standardized using a sample of students with visual impairment attending special and inclusive schools, specifically referenced in the context of Haryana State, India.

Test Methodology: The scale is administered to individuals who then rate their level of agreement with each statement. Scores are summed after adjusting for reverse-scored items. A higher total score indicates a greater degree of overall alienation.

Keywords

Psychological Assessment, Psychometric Properties, Factor Analysis, Disability Studies, Educational Psychology, India, Likert Scale.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected], [email protected].

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source (implied academic affiliations).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and standardized in 2017. While specific fee structures are not provided in the source material, researchers seeking to utilize the AL-VI should contact the primary authors, Poonam Punia or Sandeep Berwal, via their provided email addresses to confirm permissions for use. The full instrument and details of its standardization are publicly available through the ERIC database. The original PDF can be downloaded here: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1156224.pdf

Reference’s

Punia, P., & Berwal, S. (2017). Alienation in Students with Visual Impairment in Special and Inclusive Schools: A Study of Haryana State. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 43(1), 427-439.

Punia, P., & Berwal, S. (2017). Development and Standardization of an Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, (September-October), 427-439.

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Items of the Alienation Scale for Visually Impaired Students (AL-VI)

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are reverse-scored.

1. I take my decisions independently.
2. I can move freely to the places I like to visit.
3. Most of the time, I feel unhappy without any reason. *
4. People give importance to me.
5. My family is very cooperative.
6. I have my own identity.
7. Sometimes, I get upset about the surrounding environment. *
8. Every ritual and festival has got some importance associated with it.
9. I enjoy cultural programs even though I have visual problems.
10. Many people discriminate against me because of my visual impairment.
11. I am satisfied with my performance at school. *
12. I usually feel anxious. *
13. It is all right to do anything you want as long as you stay out of trouble. *
14. This world is selfish. *
15. Visual impairment has increased my dependency on others. *
16. I cannot utilize all the resources available to me because of my visual limitations. *
17. I participate actively in the rituals and festivals celebrated at home.
18. I feel comfortable in social gatherings.
19. Everybody’s life has its own importance.
20. I feel connected with this world.
21. The attitude of my neighbors is very loving towards me.
22. My friends are good.
23. I do not feel good when I am alone.
24. I do not care about the rules and regulations framed by society. *
25. It is very difficult to trust anybody in the present time. *
26. To please others, I sometimes do things that are against the norms of society. *
27. I participate in decisions taken at home.
28. My contribution in the development of society is significant.
29. Success and failure are under our control.
30. I consider it a waste of time to go to fairs because I am deprived of vision. *
31. I do not agree with the present norms of society. *
32. I am not confident about my future. *
33. I am confused about the goal of my life. *
34. My family members take care of me.
35. I have many friends.
36. I like meeting with people.
37. My values are different from societal values. *
38. This world is directionless. *
39. I do not have much opportunity to be creative. *
40. My feelings are well taken care of by my family.
41. My life is full of sadness. *
42. I feel like a stranger among the people with whom I live. *
43. I sometimes feel helpless due to visual impairment. *
44. Whatever is going to happen in the future, it can be controlled by us.
45. My life has no importance. *