UCLA Multidimensional Condom Attitudes Scale – MCAS
Measures condom attitudes across five independent dimensions: reliability/effectiveness, sexual pleasure, stigma, negotiation/use embarrassment, and purchasing embarrassment.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The UCLA Multidimensional Condom Attitudes Scale – MCAS was developed by Marie Helweg-Larsen & Bertram E. Collins (1994). It is designed to measure Condom Attitudes. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 25 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Reliability and Effectiveness of Condoms, Pleasure Associated With Condoms, Stigma Associated With Condoms, Embarrassment About Negotiation and Use of Condoms, Embarrassment About Purchasing Condoms.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability and Effectiveness of Condoms | 4,6,9,14,20 | 5 |
| Pleasure Associated With Condoms | 2,8,15,19,25 | 5 |
| Stigma Associated With Condoms | 3,13,18,22,24 | 5 |
| Embarrassment About Negotiation and Use of Condoms | 1,7,12,16,21 | 5 |
| Embarrassment About Purchasing Condoms | 5,10,11,17,23 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Slightly Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree nor Disagree, 5 = Slightly Agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly Agree.
The scale includes 17 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 5 to 35. Interpretation guidelines:
- Negative Attitude / High Embarrassment or Stigma: 5 – 15
- Neutral Attitude: 16 – 25
- Positive Attitude / Low Embarrassment or Stigma: 26 – 35
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) demonstrated across multiple diverse samples..
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.