Exploring the reliability and validity of the social-moral awareness test.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The aim of the study was to explore the validity of the social-moral awareness test (SMAT) a measure designed for assessing socio-moral rule knowledge and reasoning in people with learning disabilities. Comparisons between Theory of Mind and socio-moral reasoning allowed the exploration of construct validity of the tool. Factor structure, reliability and discriminant validity were also assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Seventy-one participants with mild-moderate learning disabilities completed the two scales of the SMAT and two False Belief Tasks for Theory of Mind.

RESULTS:

Reliability of the SMAT was very good, and the scales were shown to be uni-dimensional in factor structure. There was a significant positive relationship between Theory of Mind and both SMAT scales.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is early evidence of the construct validity and reliability of the SMAT. Further assessment of the validity of the SMAT will be required.

• Authors: Alexandra Livesey, Karen Dodd, Helen Pote, Elizabeth Marlow
• Journal: Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID (J Appl Res Intellect Disabil) Vol. 25 Issue 6 Pg. 553-70 (Nov 2012) ISSN: 1468-3148 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23055289 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Validation Study)
• Copyright: © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Awareness
• Female
• Humans
• Intellectual Disability (psychology)
• Intelligence
• Interpersonal Relations
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Morals
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
• Psychological Tests (standards)
• Psychometrics
• Reproducibility of Results
• Theory of Mind
• Thinking