Young Driver Attitude Scale: The Development and Field-Testing of an Instrument To Measure Young Driver Risk-Taking Attitudes

• Main Author: Malfetti, James L
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 01-12-1989
• Subjects: Adolescents; Driver Education; High School Students; High Schools; Risk Taking Behavior; Student Attitudes; Test Construction; Test Reliability; Test Validity; Young Driver Attitude Scale

It has been postulated that young people are open to driving accidents because of age, lack of experience and risk-taking attitudes. The Young Driver Attitude Scale (YDAS) was developed to measure attitudes likely to influence driving practices. Over 200 items relating to the risk-taking attitudes of young people were shown to a small group of high school students who placed a check mark next to any unclear words or items. Results were given to a small group of experts and a group of 50 high school students. The evaluative mean for each item was calculated and the highest ranked among them comprised the 150-item YDAS. This was administered as Part One of a five-part battery to a sample of 403 high school students 15-16 years of age. With the reliability and concurrent validity of the 150-item YDAS established the number of items was reduced from 150 to 70. The intervention, which was applied in school and community settings to 420 student and community participants) included the YDAS, a film and film rating scale, evaluation forms, and, in the community setting, a mock driving while intoxicated arrest. The YDAS results were disappointing. Although the YDAS appeared to be a valid and reliable diagnostic instrument, it may not be suitable for pre- and post-application to measure change. (BHK)