Adolescent AIDS Knowledge Scale (AAKS)
Measures adolescents' factual knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention, mortality, and clinical presentation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Adolescent AIDS Knowledge Scale (AAKS) was developed by Gregory D. Zimet (1989). It is designed to measure AIDS Knowledge. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 22 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Transmission, Prevention, Appearance, Mortality, Cure.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,16,20,21,22 | 17 |
| Prevention | 12,15 | 2 |
| Appearance | 17 | 1 |
| Mortality | 18 | 1 |
| Cure | 19 | 1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: Yes = Yes, No = No, Don’t Know = Don't Know.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 22. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Knowledge: 0 – 11
- Moderate Knowledge: 12 – 17
- High Knowledge: 18 – 22
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.82 (Spearman-Brown split-half).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.