Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate Japanese young people's attitude structure toward AIDS. At first, young people's views about the AIDS disease and AIDS patients were collected, and then these were then sorted by the KJ method. Second, based on the data obtained using the KJ method, an attitude scale was developed to measure both positive and negative attitudes toward AIDS.
Materials and Methods: In study I, an open-ended questionnaire asking personal views about AIDS was administered to university, junior college, and vocational school students for the purpose of collecting items for the attitude scale. Final sample data of 60 students (28 males and 32 females) were analyzed using the KJ method. In study II, the attitude scale developed by study I was administered to 205 university students (138 males and 67 females) and its factor structure was analyzed.
Results: The results of application of the KJ method indicated two categories concerning views regarding AIDS disease and AIDS patients. Factor analysis (using a maximumlikelihood method with varimax rotation) revealed three attitudes: avoidance, support and/or assistance to AIDS patients, a prejudice toward AIDS in general. Male students significantly had more negative attitudes than female students.
Conclusion: The results of the KJ method corresponded with that of the factor analysis. These results suggested the coexistence of positive and negative elements in an attitude structure toward AIDS.
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