The psychometric properties of the Coleman Dog Attitude Scale and Owner-Pet Relationship Scale-Modified : a South African study

Date
2020-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University.
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study set out to establish the suitability of using the C-DAS and OPRS-M in the South African context. South Africa is a vibrant and diverse country and also one of the leading countries with regards to pet-ownership (Maharaj, 2017). It is for this reason that this study set out to establish the reliability and validity of the C-DAS and OPRS-M in South Africa. In order to do this, measures developed in the USA and Norway were translated from the initial English into Afrikaans. The English and Afrikaans versions were then put into an electronic format using SUrveys, the University of Stellenbosch’s electronic survey site.The measures were administered along with a biographical information questionnaire and two additional measures that have already been proven valid and reliable in the South African context. These two measures are the LAPS and the PAS-M. The LAPS measures people’s attachment to pets, just like the OPRS-M measures people’s attachment to pets. The PAS-M measures people’s attitudes towards pets, like the C-DAS measures people’s attitudes to dogs. The total sample for this study consisted of 535 current or past pet owners. The participants had to be South African citizens over the age of 18. The Cronbach’s alpha for the C-DAS was found to be .98 which means that is a reliable measure to use in South Africa. Correlations run between the C-DAS and the PAS-M indicate that the C-DAS is a valid measure of attitudes towards dogs in South Africa. The Cronbach’s alpha for the OPRS-M was .94 which indicates that it is a valid measure to use in South Africa. Correlations run between the OPRS-M and the LAPS indicate that the OPRS-M is a valid measure of attachment to dogs in South Africa. ivParticipants were invited to take part in this study via email invitations and links on social media such as Facebook. Anyone with the link to the survey could complete it. It was also optimised for mobile so participants could complete it on their tablets or cell phones. After the data was collected, it was analysed using SPSS 25, Statistica 13 and Lavaan. The data analysis revealed the measures to be valid and reliable in the South African context. Key words: C- DAS; OPRS-M; PAS-M, LAPS; reliability; validity; human-animal interaction; psychometric properties; attachment; attitude; dogs; pets; correlations; measuring instruments; scales; Coleman Dog Attitude Scale; Pet Attitude Scale – Modified; Owner-Pet Relationship Scale – Modified; Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het beoog om die gepastheid van die C-DAS en die OPRS-M se gebruik in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks vas te stel. Suid Afrika is ‘n lewendige en diverse land. Dit is ook een van die voorlopers met troeteldier eienaarskap, wêreld-wyd (Maharaj, 2017). Dit is vir hierdie rede dat hierdie studie beoog het om die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die C-DAS en die OPRS-M in Suid Afrika te verken.Om die bo-genoemde te bereik is meetings instrumente wat in die VSA en Noorweë ontwikkel is vanaf die oorspronkilike Engels na Afrikaans vertaal. Die Engelse en Afrikaanse weergawes van die instrumente is toe in elektroniese formaat geplaas deur om van SUrvey, die Universitiet se elektroniese vraelys webtuiste gebruik te maak. Die C-DAS en OPRS-M het saam met ‘n biografiese vraelys en twee addisionele meetings instrumente wat ook gehegtheid en houdings meet verskyn. Hierdie twee meetings instruments is die PAS-M en die LAPS. Die PAS-M meet mense se houdings teenoor troeteldiere, nes die C-DAS mense se houdings teenoor honde meet en die LAPS meet gehegtheid aan troeteldiere,nes die OPRS-M gehegtheid aan honde meet. Die aantal deelnemers wat die meetingsinstrumente voltooi het was 535. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit Suid Afrikaanse burgers bo die ouderdom van 18. Verder moes hulle ook huidige troeteldier eienaar wees of vantevore ‘n troeteldier besit het. Die Cronbach’s alpha vir die C-DAS in hierde studie was bevind as .98 wat beteken dat dit ’n betroubare meetings instrument is om te gebruik in Suid Afrika. Korrelasies tussen die C-DAS en die PAS-M toon dat die C-DAS ’n geldige meetings instrument is om houdings teenoor honde te meet in Suid Afrika. Die Cronbach’s alpha vir die OPRS-M was .94 wat beteken dat dit ’n betroubare meetings instrument is om te gebruik in Suid Afrika. Korrelasies tussen die OPRS-M en die LAPS toon daarop dat die OPRS-M ’n geldige meetings instrument is om gehegtheid aan honde in Suid Afrika te meet. Deelnemers is uitgenooi om deel te neem aan die studie deur middel van e-pos uitnodigings en skakels op sosiale media webtuistes, soos Facebook. Enige person met die skakel vir die vraelys kon dit voltooi. Die elektroniese weergave van die meetingsinstrumente was ook ge-optimiseer vir mobiele gebruik wat beteken dat die deelnemers dit op hul selfoon of tablette kon voltooi. Nadat die data ingesamel is, was idt geanaliseer deur gebruik te maak van SPSS 25, Statistica 13 en Lavaan. Die data analiese het getoon dat al die meetingsinstrumente geldig en betroubaar is in die Suid Afrkaanse konteks. Trefwoorde:C-DAS; OPRS-M; PAS-M; LAPS; betroubaarheid; gedigheid; mens-dier interaksie; psigometriese eienskappe; gehegtheid; houding; honde; troeteldiere; korrelasies; meetingsinstrumente; skale; Coleman Dog Attitude Scale; Pet Attitude Scale – Modified; Owner-Pet Relationship Scale – Modified; Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
UCTD, Human-animal relationships -- Measurement, Pet owners -- Attitudes, Psychometrics, Attachment behavior, Attitude (Psychology), Owner-Pet Relationship Scale - Modified, Coleman Dog Attitude Scale
Citation