NEW SYNTHETIC PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES (NSPS) ATTITUDE SCALE: VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY

Abstract

       This article presents the results of a study of adaptation of a scale determining attitude to  new synthetic psychotropic substances, compiled by Aksoy (2006). The main goal of the study is to adapt the scale to Kazakh culture. As part of the study, the language, content and structure of the scale was examined. A quantitative method was used aimed at determining the validity and reliability of the scale among students of domestic universities aged 18 to 25 years (n=484). The results of the study Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's test (KMO = 0.97; Bartlett's test = χ² = 11910.143; p < 0.05) showed that the data are suitable for factor analysis. During the exploratory factor analysis, 56.75% of the total variance was explained and two factors containing positive and negative items were formed. As a result of factor analysis, the reliability coefficients Cronbach Alpha (α) and McDonald's omega (ω) (from 0.85 to 0.97), calculated to determine the reliability of the measurement results, turned out to be high. It was found that the NSPS attitude scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool appropriate to the Kazakh culture. This research tool, in the future, can be used to conduct similar studies on the behavior of youths in relation to synthetic drugs. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the preparation of a tool for determining attitude to NSPS and the conduct of the research itself will become a prerequisite for the stages of solving the problems of combating synthetic drugs in modern society.

Keywords: NSPS, scale adaptation, validity, reliability, factor analysis.