Beliefs About Preventing HIV/AIDS Scale – BPAS
Measures adolescents' beliefs, attitudes, peer influences, and self-efficacy regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Beliefs About Preventing HIV/AIDS Scale – BPAS was developed by Cheryl Koopman, Helen Reid, Elizabeth McGarvey, Adelaida Cruz Castillo (1990). It is designed to measure HIV/AIDS prevention beliefs and self-efficacy. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 25 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Peer Support for Safe Acts, Perceived Threat, Self-Control, Self-Efficacy.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Support for Safe Acts | 3,5,6,12,14 | 5 |
| Perceived Threat | 7,8,10,15,18,22 | 6 |
| Self-Control | 4,11,13,19,21,25 | 6 |
| Self-Efficacy | 1,2,9,16,17,20,23,24 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Agree strongly, 2 = Agree somewhat, 3 = Disagree somewhat, 4 = Disagree strongly.
The scale includes 12 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 25 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Weak endorsement of HIV/AIDS prevention beliefs: 25 – 50
- Moderate endorsement of HIV/AIDS prevention beliefs: 51 – 75
- Strong endorsement of HIV/AIDS prevention beliefs: 76 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Overall scale alpha = 0.88; subscale alphas range from 0.56 to 0.90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.