AIDS Discussion Strategy Scale – ADSS
Measures the types of interpersonal discussion strategies that individuals use to discuss AIDS with an intimate partner.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The AIDS Discussion Strategy Scale – ADSS was developed by William E. Snell, Jr. & P. D. Finney (1990). It is designed to measure Interpersonal strategies for discussing AIDS. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 72 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Rational, Manipulation, Withdrawal, Charm, Subtlety, Persistence.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Rational | 2,4,8,9,11,12,14,16,17,18,21,23,25,28,29,31,32,35,37,43,49,53,55,61,65,67 | 26 |
| Manipulation | 5,6,13,20,22,24,27,38,40,42,44,45,48,52,54,57,58,69,70,72 | 20 |
| Withdrawal | 39,51,56,63 | 4 |
| Charm | 19,36,60,64,66 | 5 |
| Subtlety | 3,10,50 | 3 |
| Persistence | 7,41,46,47 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: -2 = Definitely would not do this, -1 = Might not do this, 0 = Not sure whether I would do this, 1 = Might do this, 2 = Would definitely do this.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from -2 to 2. Interpretation guidelines:
- Very Unlikely to use this strategy: -2 – -1
- Unlikely to use this strategy: -1 – 0
- Undecided / Not sure: 0 – 0
- Likely to use this strategy: 0 – 1
- Very Likely to use this strategy: 1 – 2
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Rational (.96), Manipulation (.93), Withdrawal (.83), Charm (.81), Subtlety (.74), Persistence (.81).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.