Stereotypes About AIDS Scale

Abstract

The Stereotypes About AIDS Scale (SAAS) is a comprehensive, multidimensional instrument designed to measure various widely held beliefs and attitudes concerning AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Developed and preliminarily validated by William E. Snell, Jr., Phillip D. Finney, and Lisa J. Godwin (1991), the SAAS is crucial for examining the psychometric properties of these beliefs.

The scale consists of 115 items structured across four main sections: Section A (30 items), Section B (35 items), Section C (30 items), and Section D (20 items). Respondents use a 5-point Likert format to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement, ranging from “agree” (+2) to “disagree” (–2). Subscale scores are calculated by averaging item responses, with higher positive scores reflecting stronger endorsement of the measured stereotype.

Keywords

AIDS, Stereotypes, Attitudes, HIV, Prejudice, Psychometrics, Scale, Likert format, Confidentiality, Homosexuality, Sexual activity, Medical issues

Authors

William E. Snell, Jr., Phillip D. Finney, Lisa J. Godwin

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Stereotypes About AIDS Scale (SAAS) is to systematically measure the prevalence and structure of various stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes surrounding AIDS. Recognizing the severe societal threat posed by the disease, the authors sought to quantify the widespread, often inaccurate, beliefs that had proliferated during the early years of the epidemic. The scale facilitates research into how these beliefs impact individual behavior, such as health practices, sexual activity, and interactions with afflicted individuals.

The development process involved an extensive literature review to identify salient AIDS-related stereotypes, resulting in a multidimensional instrument capable of differentiating between four major categories of beliefs: global stereotypes, personal attitudes, medical concerns, and sexual health issues.

Construct

The SAAS measures the multidimensional construct of stereotypic beliefs and related attitudes regarding AIDS. This construct is operationalized across 15 distinct subscales grouped into four thematic sections:

• Section A: Global Stereotypic Beliefs about AIDS (4 subscales): Focuses on the need for education, issues of confidentiality, modes of transmission, and the belief that AIDS is caused by homosexuality.
• Section B: Personal Attitudes About AIDS (5 subscales): Measures attitudes toward avoidance of those afflicted, perceptions of self-relevance, closed-mindedness, exaggeration of the issue, and the notion that AIDS is a moral punishment.
• Section C: Medical Issues about AIDS (4 subscales): Addresses beliefs concerning the threat AIDS poses to medical staff, protection of the blood supply, the possibility of a cure, and mandatory testing.
• Section D: Sexual Issues about AIDS (2 subscales): Examines stereotypes relating AIDS to sexual activity and the efficacy of condoms for prevention.

Validity

Snell, Finney, and Godwin (1991) provided preliminary evidence supporting the scale’s validity by examining correlations between SAAS scores and relevant psychological outcomes. Findings indicated that individuals who endorsed a broader range of negative or inaccurate stereotypes exhibited greater AIDS-related anxiety. Specifically, those who felt AIDS was not self-relevant, displayed closed-mindedness, or believed media reporting was exaggerated, reported sufficient anxiety to inhibit their sexual activity.

Furthermore, the study established predictive validity by showing that belief in the importance of AIDS education correlated positively with the likelihood of using direct, rational communication strategies when discussing AIDS with a potential sexual partner. Gender differences also provided insight into validity, revealing that women generally expressed more positive and less prejudicial AIDS-related attitudes compared to men. The endorsement of socially undesirable stereotypes about women among female participants was predictive of their agreement with various prejudicial beliefs about AIDS and afflicted individuals, lending support to the scale’s ability to capture underlying prejudiced structures.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the SAAS subscales was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (Snell et al., 1991). The results demonstrated acceptable to strong reliability across the four major sections:

• Section A (Stereotypic Beliefs About AIDS): Reliabilities ranged from .75 to .85.
• Section B (Personal Attitudes About AIDS): Reliabilities ranged from .72 to .87.
• Section C (Medical Issues Related to AIDS): Reliabilities ranged from a low of .64 to a high of .83.
• Section D (Sexuality and AIDS): The two subscales yielded Cronbach’s alphas of .86 and .78, respectively.

Factor Analysis

The Stereotypes About AIDS Scale is inherently multidimensional, comprising 15 separate subscales organized into four major thematic domains. Although the specific factor extraction methodology (e.g., Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) is not detailed in the source, the clear categorization of items suggests a robust underlying factor structure. The four major factors measured are Global Stereotypes, Personal Attitudes, Medical Issues, and Sexual Issues, reflecting distinct, yet related, dimensions of public perception regarding AIDS.

The 15 subscales derived from this structure allow researchers to analyze specific facets of stereotyping, such as the belief that AIDS is caused by homosexuality or the desire to avoid afflicted individuals, rather than relying solely on a single, overall score.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale (Multidimensional Attitude Measure)

Format: 115 items total, administered using a 5-point Likert format (Agree (+2), Slightly Agree (+1), Neither Agree nor Disagree (0), Slightly Disagree (–1), and Disagree (–2)). Responses are typically recorded on a computer scan sheet.

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

Population Group: General population, validated initially among university students.

Age Group: Adults (or young adults)

Population Details: The initial validation study was conducted by researchers at Southeast Missouri State University, suggesting the primary population was drawn from a university setting.

Test Methodology: Pencil-and-paper or computer scan sheet administration. Completion time is approximately 35–45 minutes for the entire 115-item questionnaire. Subscale scores are calculated by averaging the items within that subscale. Several items (A8, A20, A21, C2, C12, and D4) are reversed-scored prior to computation.

Keywords

Attitude measurement, Social psychology, Public health beliefs, Stigma, Reverse scoring, Condoms, Homosexuality, Cronbach’s alpha, Psychometrics, Likert format

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (William E. Snell, Jr.)

Correspondence Address: William E. Snell, Jr., Department of Psychology, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and validated in 1991. Information regarding current usage permissions or associated fees is not provided in the source material. Correspondence for usage rights should be directed to the primary author.

Reference’s

• Snell, W. E., Jr., Finney, P. D., & Godwin, L. J. (1991). Stereotypes about AIDS. Contemporary Social Psychology, 15, 18–38.

Items of the Stereotypes About AIDS Scale

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

AIDS – Section A

Instructions: The items listed below refer to people’s beliefs about the topic of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). We are interested in whether you agree or disagree with these statements. As such, there are no right or wrong answers, only your own individual opinions. To indicate your reactions to these statements, use the following scale:

A = Agree

B = Slightly agree

C = Neither agree nor disagree D = Slightly disagree

E = Disagree

Remember: There are no right or wrong responses; only your opinions. Be sure to respond to each and every statement; leave no blanks.

1. Homosexuality is the cause of AIDS.

2. People with AIDS don’t really have a right to confidentiality about their disease.

3. People ought to notify their employees if they contract AIDS.

4. Not enough money is being spent on AIDS-related research.

5. AIDS can be transmitted by being in the same room with an AIDS patient.

6. People need education to learn how to avoid getting the virus AIDS.

7. If it weren’t for homosexuals, we wouldn’t have the disease AIDS.

8. AIDS victims have a right to privacy about their lives and lifestyles.

9. Businesses should have the right to fire people if they have AIDS.

10. The cost of medical care for AIDS patients should be paid by the government.

11. AIDS can be transmitted by shaking hands with an AIDS patient.

12. AIDS education is an appropriate task for schools to perform.

13. The sexual promiscuity of homosexuals is the reason why AIDS exists.

14. The government should be able to test anyone for AIDS.

15. A person can get AIDS from fellow workers at a job.

16. The government is not doing enough to fight AIDS.

17. AIDS can be transmitted by sharing eating utensils with an AIDS patient.

18. Sexual education about AIDS is necessary at school.

19. AIDS is really a punishment sent from God for the sinful acts of homosexuality.

20. AIDS infected children should be kept out of public school.

21. Having a co-worker with AIDS would not bother me.

22. AIDS is a serious national problem that deserves government attention.

23. AIDS can be transmitted by kissing an individual with AIDS.

24. It is important that students learn about AIDS in their classes.

25. AIDS is God’s way of getting rid of homosexuals.

26. Identifying those people with AIDS should be a high priority.

27. Employees have a right to know if any of their co-workers have AIDS.

28. The Federal government ought to fund education on AIDS.

29. People can catch AIDS by giving CPR to an individual with AIDS.

30. Children need instruction about AIDS in their school curriculum.

AIDS – Section B

Instructions: The items listed below refer to people’s beliefs about the topic of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). We are interested in whether you agree or disagree with these statements. As such, there are no right or wrong answers, only your own individual opinions. To indicate your reactions to these statements, use the following scale:

A = Agree

B = Slightly agree

C = Neither agree nor disagree D = Slightly disagree

E = Disagree

Remember: There are no right or wrong responses; only your opinions. Be sure to respond to each and every statement; leave no blanks.

1. I don’t want to talk or interact with anyone with AIDS.

2. We have a social obligation to help those with AIDS.

3. People who describe AIDS as an epidemic are exaggerating its true nature.

4. As always, science will eventually find a cure for AIDS.

5. AIDS is really not my problem; it’s somebody else’s.

6. AIDS is not my problem.

7. AIDS is not a threat to me.

8. The AIDS crisis is really removed from me.

9. People who die from AIDS are being punished for their past wrongs.

10. People are blowing the issue of AIDS way out of proportion.

11. People should test themselves for AIDS.

12. People who get AIDS can blame only themselves.

13. Only people from California have been affected by AIDS.

14. Part of the problem with AIDS is that people don’t talk about it.

15. The AIDS epidemic will soon be a financial burden on the U.S. economy.

16. You can’t teach young children about AIDS.

17. Men and women don’t really need to discuss AIDS with each other.

18. AIDS has become a significant problem in prison populations.

19. A cure for AIDS is inevitable.

20. AIDS is easy to get.

21. AIDS may eventually bankrupt the U.S. health care system.

22. People with AIDS should not be allowed to work in public schools.

23. People with AIDS should not be allowed to handle food in restaurants.

24. People with AIDS should not be allowed to work with patients in hospitals.

25. AIDS is not as big a problem as the media suggests.

26. I am not the kind of person who is likely to get AIDS.

27. I am less likely than most people to get AIDS.

28. I’d rather get any other disease than AIDS.

29. I’ve heard enough about AIDS, and I don’t want to hear any more about it.

30. Living in San Francisco would increase anyone’s chances of getting AIDS.

31. If a free blood test was available to see if you have the AIDS virus, I would take it.

32. AIDS is God’s punishment for immorality.

33. AIDS patients offend me morally.

34. If I knew someone with AIDS, it would be hard for me to continue that relationship.

35. Children with AIDS should not be allowed to attend public schools.

AIDS – Section C

Instructions: The items listed below refer to people’s beliefs about the topic of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). We are interested in whether you agree or disagree with these statements. As such, there are no right or wrong answers, only your own individual opinions. To indicate your reactions to these statements, use the following scale:

A = Agree

B = Slightly agree

C = Neither agree nor disagree D = Slightly disagree

E = Disagree

Remember: There are no right or wrong responses; only your opinions. Be sure to respond to each and every statement; leave no blanks.

1. The family of AIDS victims ought to have the right to participate in medical decisions.

2. People with AIDS should not be admitted to medical hospitals.

3. Doctors can catch AIDS if they treat patients with this disease.

4. AIDS patients will contaminate medical staff and other hospital patients.

5. It’s important to maintain a safe blood banking system, because of AIDS.

6. Health care workers can catch AIDS in medical situations.

7. Medicine has a test to identify whether a person has AIDS.

8. The medical test for AIDS will not always identify a recently-infected person.

9. There’s a vaccine that prevents the spread of AIDS.

10. There are effective medical treatments for those with AIDS.

11. Doctors and nurses are at risk for catching AIDS from infected patients.

12. No medical assistance person has ever caught AIDS from a patient.

13. AIDS blood tests should be administered to everyone in hospitals.

14. Hospitals should have the right to test all patients for AIDS.

15. A doctor with AIDS should not be allowed to treat patients.

16. A hospital worker should not be required to work with AIDS patients.

17. AIDS patients have as much right to quality medical care as anyone else.

18. AIDS makes a medical job a high-risk occupation.

19. Dealing with AIDS patients is different from dealing with other types of patients.

20. The high cost of treating AIDS patients is unfair to other people in need of care.

21. Working with AIDS patients can be a rewarding experience for medical personnel.

22. Hospital personnel should go out of their way to be helpful to a patient with AIDS.

23. People with AIDS can be cured if they seek medical attention.

24. To get AIDS, a person must have intimate sexual or blood contact with an AIDS carrier.

25. The disease AIDS can be transmitted by the exchange of blood (or blood products).

26. AIDS has been identified in hemophiliacs (people who bleed easily).

27. AIDS has been linked to blood transfusion.

28. AIDS is probably in most of the nation’s blood supply.

29. A blood test can identify testing for AIDS.

30. People get AIDS from blood transfusion.

AIDS – Section D

Instructions: The items listed below refer to people’s beliefs about the topic of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). We are interested in whether you agree or disagree with these statements. As such, there are no right or wrong answers, only your own individual opinions. To indicate your reactions to these statements, use the following scale:

A = Agree

B = Slightly agree

C = Neither agree nor disagree D = Slightly disagree

E = Disagree

Remember: There are no right or wrong responses; only your opinions. Be sure to respond to each and every statement; leave no blanks.

1. AIDS is a serious challenge to the notion of recreational sex.

2. Because of AIDS, everyone has a responsibility to practice healthful sexual behaviors.

3. Condoms offer protection against the spread of AIDS.

4. AIDS cannot be transmitted by heterosexual (male-female) sexual activity.

5. People catch AIDS from their sexual partners.‌

6. The more sexual partners people have, the greater their chance of acquiring AIDS.

7. AIDS is associated with multiple anonymous sexual contacts.

8. AIDS is transmitted by intimate sexual contact.

9. People can contract AIDS even though they have had sex with only one person.

10. Condoms are a safe shield against AIDS.

11. AIDS is essentially a sexually transmitted disease.

12. People can contract AIDS from sexual contact with a single infected person.

13. Any sexually active people can get AIDS.

14. People get AIDS from sex.

15. People don’t engage in sex very much nowadays because of AIDS.

16. AIDS is transmitted primarily through sexual relations.

17. Proper use of condoms can reduce the risk of catching AIDS.

18. The use of condoms can prevent the spread of AIDS.

19. Heterosexuals who use condoms can lessen their risk for getting AIDS.

20. People who have “one-night stands” will probably catch AIDS.