Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents

Abstract

The Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents (SKAT-A) is a specialized, developmentally appropriate, paper-and-pencil self-report instrument designed to assess both subjective evaluations (attitudes) and objective knowledge proficiency regarding various aspects of sexual behavior and experience in youth. Developed by Fullard, Scheier, and Lief (2005), the current version represents a major revision of earlier adolescent-focused tests (e.g., 1998, 1990) which were initially based on the original adult Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Scale (SKAT; Lief & Reed, 1972).

The SKAT-A is structured for broad application, including use in program evaluations, educational courses in human sexuality, and general research aimed at collecting relevant information about adolescent sexuality. It is suitable for use across the adolescent age range (typically 12–18) and with young adults.

Keywords

Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents, SKAT-A, Adolescents, Sexual Attitudes, Sexual Knowledge, Human Sexuality, Psychological Measurement, Sex Education, Premarital Sex, Contraception.

Authors

William Fullard (Temple University), Lawrence M. Scheier (LARS Research Institute, Inc.), Howard I. Lief (Deceased).

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SKAT-A is to provide a standardized, reliable method for quantifying two distinct dimensions of adolescent sexuality: their subjective attitudes toward specific sexual topics and their objective knowledge proficiency concerning sexual facts and concepts. This dual focus allows researchers and educators to gain a comprehensive understanding of the psychological and informational context surrounding adolescent sexual behavior.

Additionally, the scale incorporates a Sexual Behavior Inventory section. This component is designed to gather detailed information on a wide range of sexual and experiential behaviors, such as dating history, onset of sexual activity, contraceptive practices, number of partners, and experiences related to sexually transmitted diseases. This holistic approach ensures the SKAT-A is robust for use in clinical, educational, and epidemiological research settings.

Construct

The SKAT-A is designed to measure two principal psychological constructs: 1) **Sexual Attitudes**, which are subjective evaluations and beliefs regarding various sexual behaviors and social issues; and 2) **Sexual Knowledge Proficiency**, which reflects the factual accuracy of the respondent’s understanding of sexual health, physiology, and consequences.

The attitudinal component is broken down into six distinct latent factors identified through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), including topics such as Premarital Sexuality and Abortion. The knowledge proficiency component covers six specific areas, such as pregnancy/contraception and abstinence/sexual awareness, ensuring a detailed assessment across critical domains of human sexuality education.

Validity

The validity of the SKAT-A was examined primarily through associations between its latent attitudinal factors, knowledge scores, and self-reported sexual behavior measures. Findings indicated significant and meaningful correlations supporting the scale’s construct validity.

The most pronounced associations were observed between the 7-item scale assessing frequency of sexual experiences (alpha = .80) and two attitudinal factors: Premarital Sexuality attitudes (r = .42, p < .001) and Pornography attitudes (r = .35, p < .001). Furthermore, attitudes toward abortion were related to the reported use of contraception (r = .28, p < .01). Importantly, correlations between the six attitudinal latent factors and the six knowledge scale scores indicated relatively low overlap (r avg ranged from .07 to .13), demonstrating a clear divergence between the measurement of attitudes and knowledge proficiency, suggesting strong discriminant validity between the two main constructs.

Reliability

The psychometric reliability of the SKAT-A was assessed using a sample of urban high school students (N = 516) and comparative data from a college sample (N = 240). The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and high test-retest stability across both populations.

For the attitudinal subscales, internal consistency coefficients were .84 for high school students and .88 for college students. Test-retest reliability over a 2-week interval was strong, measuring .88 for the high school sample and .89 for the college sample. For the knowledge items, total scale reliability estimates were similarly adequate: internal consistency was .79 (high school) and .75 (college), while 2-week test-retest stability was .78 (high school) and .85 (college). These data confirm the measure’s stability and consistency over time and across different samples of young people.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the 40 attitudinal items was investigated using both preliminary exploratory factor analysis and subsequent Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Preliminary analysis suggested five content scales: Masturbation, Homosexuality, Pornography, Premarital sex, and Abortion.

The base CFA model, configured with simple structure based on prior work, specified six distinct factors: Premarital Sexuality, Rape/Coercion, Masturbation, Abortion, Homosexuality, and Pornography. This six-factor model demonstrated adequate fit indices, including a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of .831, a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of .051, and a Standardized Root Mean Residual (SRMR) of .065. All six factors were found to be psychometrically reliable, with significant factor loadings (p < .001). Average factor loadings ranged from λ = .61 (Masturbation) to λ = .40 (Abortion). A subsequent test of a higher-order factor structure did not significantly improve the fit over the primary first-order model.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Paper-and-pencil instrument.

Format: The scale includes 40 attitudinal items utilizing a 5-point Likert-type response format (1 = Strongly Agree to 5 = Strongly Disagree), 40 knowledge items scored trichotomously (True, False, and Not Sure), and a Sexual Behavior Inventory.

Language Available: English (Original research conducted in the US).

Population Group: Adolescents and Young Adults.

Age Group: Youth ages 12–18, and young adults.

Population Details: Psychometric data derived from urban high school students (N=516, mean age 16.7) and urban university students (N=240, mean age 23.0) in the Northeast U.S.

Test Methodology: The SKAT-A is completed typically in 20–30 minutes. Attitude and Knowledge sections use forced-choice formats, while Demographics and Behavior sections use a combination of checked items and open-ended questions. Knowledge proficiency scores are derived by calculating (number correct – number incorrect), with the “Not Sure” response not penalized.

Keywords

Adolescent Development, Sexual Behavior, SKAT-A, Attitudinal Scales, Knowledge Proficiency, Program Evaluation, Factor Analysis, Likert Scale, Contraception, Rape/Coercion.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Lawrence Scheier).

Correspondence Address: Lawrence Scheier, LARS Research Institute, Inc., 11735 Glowing Sunset Lane, Las Vegas NV 89135.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents (SKAT-A) is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office (Fullard, Scheier, & Lief, 2005). The instrument is available from LARS Research Institute, Inc. (www.larsri.org). A nominal handling fee is charged for acquisition. The most current version used for the primary psychometric assessment was published in 2005.

Reference’s

• Fullard, W., Johnston, D. A., & Lief, H. I. (1998). The Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents. In C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, R. Bauserman, G. Schreer, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 33–35). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Fullard, W., Scheier, L., & Lief, H. L. (2005). The Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Scale for Adolescents (SKAT-A). Available from LARS Research Institute, Inc. (www. larsri.org).
• Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structural equation modeling: Sensitivity to underparameterized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3, 424–453.
• Johnston, D. A. (1998). A psychometric evaluation of the Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
• Lief, H. I. (1988). The Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test (SKAT). In C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Sexuality-related measures: A compendium (pp. 213–216). Lake Mills, IA: Graphic Publishing Company.
• Lief, H. I., Fullard, W., & Devlin, S. J. (1990). A new measure of adolescent sexuality: SKAT-A. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 16, 79–91.
• Lief, H. I., & Reed, D. M. (1972). Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Study of Sex Education in Medicine.
• MacCallum, R. (1986). Specification searches in covariance structure modeling. Psychological Bulletin, 100, 107–120.
• Werts, C. E., Linn, R. L., & Jöreskog, K. J. (1974). Interclass reliability estimates: Testing structural assumptions. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 34, 25–33.

Items of the Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test for Adolescents

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

The source content describes the structure and scoring of the items but does not provide the item text itself.

The SKAT-A contains 40 attitudinal items using a 5-point Likert-type response format (1 = Strongly Agree to 5 = Strongly Disagree).

The SKAT-A also includes 40 knowledge items scored trichotomously (True, False, and Not Sure).