Contraceptive Attitude Scale

Abstract

The Contraceptive Attitude Scale (CAS) is a specialized psychometric instrument developed to measure generalized attitudes toward the use of contraceptives. It specifically aims to capture overall disposition toward birth control methods, distinguishing this general attitude from attitudes directed toward a specific contraceptive method (e.g., the condom) or toward premarital contraceptive use. The final scale comprises 32 items, balanced between 17 positively worded and 15 negatively worded statements, which are rated by respondents on a 5-point agreement scale. The initial item pool was refined using responses gathered from 75 male and 60 female college students.

Keywords

Contraception, Attitudes, Sexual Health, Birth Control, Psychological Assessment, College Students, Contraceptives, CAS.

Authors

Kelly J. Black, R. H. Pollack.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Contraceptive Attitude Scale (CAS) is to provide researchers and clinicians with a robust measure of an individual’s fundamental disposition toward using birth control. This instrument was designed to assess the overarching willingness or resistance to adopting contraceptive practices generally, rather than focusing on method-specific beliefs or situational factors like premarital sex, which were addressed by earlier instruments (Brown, 1984; Parcel, 1975).

By measuring generalized attitudes, the CAS offers a valuable tool for predicting broader behavioral intentions related to family planning and responsible sexual practices. The scale is intended to help researchers differentiate between a person’s general acceptance of contraception and their specific feelings about individual methods, such such as the diaphragm or the pill, thereby offering a clearer view of underlying psychological barriers to use.

Construct

The CAS measures the psychological construct of general attitude toward contraception. This construct encompasses cognitive, affective, and behavioral components related to the use of birth control. Cognitive components involve beliefs about the necessity, effectiveness, and difficulty of obtaining contraceptives. Affective components relate to feelings such as comfort, embarrassment, or romance associated with contraceptive use.

The total score reflects a continuum of attitudes, where a higher score indicates a more positive and accepting attitude toward the general use and responsibility associated with contraceptives. Conversely, lower scores suggest more negative, resistant, or prohibitive attitudes toward contraception as a practice.

Validity

The CAS demonstrated significant evidence of concurrent and predictive validity within the initial development studies. Concurrent validity was established through a substantial correlation between CAS scores and scores derived from the Premarital Contraceptive Attitude Evaluation Instrument (Parcel, 1975), yielding a correlation coefficient of r = .72. This high correlation suggests that the CAS measures a construct closely related to previously validated measures of contraceptive attitudes.

Furthermore, the scale exhibited predictive relevance regarding actual behavior. Scores from the CAS correlated significantly with the reported frequency of contraceptive use among the study sample of nonvirgin male and female college students, with a correlation of r = .60. This finding supports the scale’s ability to predict engagement in contraceptive behaviors, indicating that a more positive attitude, as measured by the CAS, corresponds with a higher likelihood of using birth control methods.

Reliability

The reliability of the 32-item CAS was assessed using both temporal stability and internal consistency measures, both yielding favorable results. The Test-retest reliability, which measures consistency over time, was found to be very good, with a coefficient of r(166) = .88, which was statistically significant (p < .001).

Internal reliability, assessed using corrected item-total correlations, also indicated good consistency among the scale items (Black & Pollack, 1987). The correlation coefficients for individual items ranged from r = .26 to .68, suggesting that the items generally measure the same underlying construct. These strong reliability metrics confirm that the CAS produces stable and internally coherent measurements of contraceptive attitudes.

Factor Analysis

While specific details regarding a formal exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis for the Contraceptive Attitude Scale were not detailed in the available primary source material, the design and scoring methodology suggest that the instrument was initially conceptualized as a unidimensional measure of general contraceptive attitude. The total score is calculated as a sum of all 32 items, which is characteristic of scales intended to measure a single, overarching construct. Future psychometric refinement or replication studies would benefit from conducting a detailed factor analysis to confirm the scale’s structural validity and determine if distinct sub-factors (e.g., perceived barriers, relational benefits, moral opposition) might exist within the general attitude construct.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: Paper-and-pencil or digital questionnaire utilizing a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (assumed, based on source materials).

Population Group: Nonvirgin individuals involved in sexual relationships.

Age Group: Young Adults (specifically college students, but applicable more broadly to adults of reproductive age).

Population Details: Initial validation sample consisted of 75 male and 60 female college students. The scale is designed for use with sexually active individuals who are making decisions about contraceptive use.

Test Methodology: Participants respond to 32 statements (17 positive, 15 negative). Responses range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Negatively worded items are reverse scored. The total score is the sum of responses, with lower scores indicating a more negative attitude toward contraception. The estimated administration time is approximately 10 minutes.

Keywords

Psychological Measurement, Scale Development, Test-retest reliability, Sexual Behavior, Attitude Assessment, Psychometrics, Internal reliability, Likert-type scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Kelly Black, University of Washington, WaNPRC, Box 357330, Seattle, WA 98109.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: The scale development was presented in 1987 (Black & Pollack, 1987).

Permissions and Fees: Permissions and current usage fees are not specified in the source. Researchers interested in utilizing the scale should address correspondence directly to the author, Kelly Black, via the provided email address or correspondence address, to inquire about usage rights and availability.

Reference’s

• Black, K. J., & Pollack, R. H. (1987, April). The development of a contraceptive attitude scale. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, Atlanta.

• Brown, I. S. (1984). Development of a scale to measure attitudes toward the condom as a method of birth control. The Journal of Sex Research, 20, 255–263.

• Parcel, G. S. (1975). Development of an instrument to measure attitudes toward the personal use of premarital contraception. Journal of School Health, 45, 157–160.

Items of the Contraceptive Attitude Scale

The following items constitute the 32 statements used in the scale. Respondents indicate their level of agreement using the response options: SA = Strongly agree; A = Agree; U = Undecided; D = Disagree; SD = Strongly disagree.

1. I believe that it is wrong to use contraceptives.
2. Contraceptives reduce the sex drive.
3. Using contraceptives is much more desirable than having an abortion.
4. Males who use contraceptives seem less masculine than males who do not.
5. I encourage my friends to use contraceptives.
6. I would not become sexually involved with a person who did not accept contraceptive responsibility.
7. Teenagers should not need permission from their parents to get contraceptives.
8. Contraceptives are not really necessary unless a couple has engaged in intercourse more than once.
9. Contraceptives make sex seem less romantic.
10. Females who use contraceptives are promiscuous.
11. I would not have intercourse if no contraceptive method was available.
12. I do not believe that contraceptives actually prevent pregnancy.
13. Using contraceptives is a way of showing that you care about your partner.
14. I do not talk about contraception with my friends.
15. I would feel embarrassed discussing contraception with my friends.
16. One should use contraceptives regardless of how long one has known his/her sexual partner.
17. Contraceptives are difficult to obtain.
18. Contraceptives can actually make intercourse seem more pleasurable.‌
19. I feel that contraception is solely my partner’s responsibility.
20. I feel more relaxed during intercourse if a contraceptive method is used.
21. I prefer to use contraceptives during intercourse.
22. In the future, I plan to use contraceptives any time I have intercourse.
23. I would practice contraception even if my partner did not want me to.
24. It is no trouble to use contraceptives.
25. Using contraceptives makes a relationship seem too permanent.
26. Sex is not fun if a contraceptive is used.
27. Contraceptives are worth using, even if the monetary cost is high.
28. Contraceptives encourage promiscuity.
29. Couples should talk about contraception before having intercourse.
30. If I or my partner experienced negative side effects from a contraceptive method, we would use a different method.
31. Contraceptives make intercourse seem too planned.
32. I feel better about myself when I use contraceptives.