Administration Guide for the Opinions about Deaf People Scale: A Scale To Measure Hearing Adults' Beliefs about the Capabilities of Deaf Adults

Abstract

Instructions for the administration of the Opinions about Deaf People Scale are given. This scale measures the beliefs of hearing adults about the capabilities of deaf adults. The somewhat ambiguous title of the instrument is designed to avoid leading respondents to respond in socially desirable ways. The instrument is based on misconceptions hearing adults might hold about the capabilities of deaf adults. The scale can be administered individually or to a group. It is a summative scale, and each subject's score can be calculated by adding the points for all 20 items. A low score reflects a positive attitude about the capabilities of the deaf, while a high score reflects a negative attitude. A scoring key is included. A pilot test with 290 college students supported construct validity and suggested one general deaf capabilities factor, with a few items that correlate moderately to strongly with an intelligence factor. The scale is in Appendix A. (SLD)