Growing Minds: The Development of an Instrument to Measure Parental Attitude Toward Nature and Their Child's Outdoor Recreation

• Published in: HortTechnology (Alexandria, Va.) Va.), 2011-04, Vol.21 (2), p.225-229
• Main Authors: McFarland, Amy L, Hammond, Danielle E, Zajicek, Jayne M, Waliczek, Tina M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: children; computer software; interviews; inventories; outdoor recreation; statistical analysis; surveys
• ISSN: 1063-0198; 1943-7714
• DOI: 10.21273/HORTTECH.21.2.225

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure parental attitude toward nature (PAN) and parental attitude toward their child's outdoor recreation (PACOR) to allow researchers to better understand the factors influencing children's outdoor recreation and suggest programs for changing the recent decline in outdoor activity in children. The construction of this instrument followed the Dillman method of constructing survey instruments to improve response rates and to ensure higher quality results. Two scales were developed in three phases. In the first phase, an initial set of instrument questions were developed by adapting questions from previous research. The accumulated questions were then pilot tested and revised based on feedback and reliability. Each inventory was then tested following Dillman's four stages of survey pretest procedures: stage 1--review by knowledgeable colleagues and analysts, stage 2--interviews to evaluate understanding of instructions and questions, stage 3--pilot testing, and stage 4--a final check. The final Cronbach's alpha reliability analyses of the PAN scale and the PACOR scale indicated high levels of internal consistency. The number of questions was reduced following the results of an "alpha if item deleted" tool within SPSS statistical analysis software to improve internal consistency and to reduce load on participants.