Stereotypes About AIDS Scale (SAAS)
A multidimensional instrument designed to assess stereotypic beliefs, personal attitudes, medical issues, and sexual issues related to AIDS.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Stereotypes About AIDS Scale (SAAS) was developed by William E. Snell, Jr., Phillip D. Finney, and Lisa J. Godwin (1991). It is designed to measure Stereotypes and attitudes about AIDS. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 89 items organized into 13 factors/subscales: Need for AIDS-related education, AIDS-related confidentiality, Transmission of AIDS, AIDS is caused by homosexuality, Desire to avoid those afflicted with AIDS, AIDS was not perceived as self-relevant, Closed-minded approach to AIDS, Issue of AIDS is being exaggerated, Notion that AIDS is a moral punishment, Belief that AIDS is a threat to medical staff, Protecting the U.S. blood supply system from AIDS, Cure for AIDS, AIDS testing should be conducted.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Need for AIDS-related education | 4,6,12,18,20,22,24,28,30 | 9 |
| AIDS-related confidentiality | 2,3,8,9,14,21,26,27 | 8 |
| Transmission of AIDS | 5,11,15,17,23,29 | 6 |
| AIDS is caused by homosexuality | 1,7,13,19,25 | 5 |
| Desire to avoid those afflicted with AIDS | 31,52,53,54,64,65 | 6 |
| AIDS was not perceived as self-relevant | 35,36,37,38 | 4 |
| Closed-minded approach to AIDS | 43,46,47 | 3 |
| Issue of AIDS is being exaggerated | 33,40,55,59 | 4 |
| Notion that AIDS is a moral punishment | 39,62,63 | 3 |
| Belief that AIDS is a threat to medical staff | 68,69,71,76,77,83 | 6 |
| Protecting the U.S. blood supply system from AIDS | 67,70,72,82 | 4 |
| Cure for AIDS | 74,75,88 | 3 |
| AIDS testing should be conducted | 78,79 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 2 = Agree, 1 = Slightly agree, 0 = Neither agree nor disagree, -1 = Slightly disagree, -2 = Disagree.
The scale includes 5 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -2 to 2. Interpretation guidelines:
- Disagreement with stereotypes: -2 – 0
- Neutral / Undecided: 0 – 0
- Agreement with stereotypes: 0 – 2
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach alphas ranging from .64 to .87 across subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.