A scale to measure attitude to egg/sperm donation

Abstract

This paper reports the development of a 34-item-4-point rating scale for the measurement of attitude of Nigerians to the donation of egg/sperm to needy infertile couples. A 44-item questionnaire was initially developed through a pilot study that involved 10 physicians (5 of who worked with clinics that practice in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. For further validity study, an item-total correlation was carried out, with the administration of the questionnaire to 139 subjects. Items that correlated with total at 0.01 level (34 of them) were selected for the final test. A further validity study was carried out with the administration of the 34-item instrument to 60 subjects. A split-half reliability study to determine internal consistency of the test yielded a co-efficient of 0.73, with the reliability of the entire test being 0.84. A further analysis using coefficient alpha yielded a coefficient of 0.87. The 34-item instrument was subjected to factor analysis, and yielded 12 factors which ranged from generalized fear about egg/sperm donation, religious/cultural attitude, to remuneration to donors. A test-rested reliability of the test over a 21-day period involving 35 subjects yielded a coefficient of 0.35 (P05). To determine the cut-off for positive/negative attitude, the mean score (87) of 110 subjects were taken. Fifty-three subjects (48.2%) and 57 subjects (51.8%) fell into the positive and negative attitude categories respectively.

IFE PsychologIA Vol. 13(2) 2005: 196-203