Abstract
A Study on Development of a Scale on Violence Sensitivity towards Children
Several individual, environmental or cultural factors are influential in development of violent behavior and in the perceptions of individuals towards violence. Especially, the issue of violence against children is an issue that has been emphasized globally. In the literature, it was observed that survey forms are generally used in related studies. The present study aimed to develop a measurement tool to determine the sensitivities of adults on violence against children. The study group included 202 undergraduate students. Scale content validity was established with expert opinion. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients were used to determine the construct validity. It was determined that the scale included a single 19-item dimension. Scale criterion validity was analyzed with age and gender as external criteria. As a result, it was determined that age did not have a significant effect on sensitivity on the violence against children, while gender had a significant impact on the same. The Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.82 and the Violence Sensitivity towards Children Scale could differentiate on sensitivity of adults for violence against children.
Keywords
Violence, Violence Sensitivity, Violence against Children, Validity, Reliability.
