Likert Technique of Attitude Scale Construction in Nursing Research

Aim: The aim of this paper were (1) to raise awareness of constructing Likert technique of attitude scale and (2) to provide strategies to enable nurse researcher to design and develop their attitude measure by following Likert technique.

Background: The number of questionnaires developed by nurses has increased in recent years. This paper explores the process by which a reliable and valid attitude questionnaire can be developed. We know that nurses are still not generally adept at the psychometric evaluation of new measures. In this paper steps in construction of attitude scale has explained in detail and simple to understand.

Methods: In this paper, Likert technique of attitude scale construction is discussed. Likert scale is by far the most popular attitude scale type. Likert in 1932 presented a technique which according to him did away with the need for a judging group. His procedure is to extract from the responses of a group of subjects indicating their own attitudes the sigma values to be assigned each response. A simpler method of assigning arbitrary values, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to the degrees of agreement and disagreement with each statement has also been suggested. Each step was mentioned clearly with examples. Different methods of reliability and validity include systematic and variable errors are mentioned. Principles of constructing attitude scale are mentioned.

Discussion: Attitude scales attempt to determine an individual believes, perceives or feels. It is a measuring device, consisting of statements to which the respondent must express degree of agreement or disagreement.

Conclusion: The systematic construction of attitude scale through Likert technique and steps was clearly described in this review article.