Validity of the Disguised Structured Instrument for the Assessment of Attitudes Toward the Poor

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Disguised Structured Instrument for the Assessment of Attitudes Toward the Poor (AATP) developed by J. A. Peterson. The study investigated the relationships between selected personal or demographic variables (sex, age, father's socioeconomic status, marital status, choice of major field, and prior work experience) and attitudes toward the poor. AATP scores of a sample of 116 summer session college students were correlated with the selected variables. Data were analyzed by a series of correlations, a linear multiple regression, and a discriminant analysis. No statistically significant relationships were found between scores on the AATP and the designated variables. It was concluded that the validity of the AATP has yet to be established. Thus, the AATP should not be considered a validated research instrument.