Construction and preliminary evidence of validity of the Scale of Perceived Threat from the Mentally Ill

Abstract

<jats:p>Abstract The perception that mental patients represent a threat may support attitudes and behaviours of social exclusion and a contrary position to the precepts of the Psychiatric Reform. In this sense, this article has the objective of elaborating the Scale of Perceived Threat from the Mentally Ill and reporting the preliminary evidences of its factorial validity and internal consistence. For this purpose, two studies were performed: Study 1 performed an exploratory factor analysis composed of 244 university students aged 17 to 56 years old (M = 22.98; SD = 5.61); and study 2 performed a confirmation factor analysis from a sample of 247 university students aged between 17 and 51 years old (M = 23.08; SD = 5.75). The final scale was composed of nine items grouped into two factors: dangerousness and unpredictability, and presented good psychometric properties, being able to be used adequately to evaluate the perception of threat regarding the mentally Ill.</jats:p>