Development and Testing of Assessment Scale For Xenophobic Attitudes (AXA Scale)

Abstract

The article describes the process of development and testing of the xenophobic attitudes assessment scale (AXA scale). The questionnaire is based on the concept of semantic attitudes and value orientations of D. A. Leontyev, as well as research in the field of xenophobia, nationalism and ethnic prejudices of modern researchers. The scale is designed to assess the nature and severity of xenophobic attitudes in adolescents aged 14-18 years. The empirical data of 100 adolescents (47 males and 53 females) with conditionally normative behavior (average age 15.6 ± 1.49) and 40 male adolescents temporarily detained in the center of juvenile offenders (average age 14.5 ± 0.25) were used for tools development. As a result of testing psychometric indicators were described, validity and reliability were checked. The AXA scale can be used for rapid assessment at the first stages of the prevention of extremist behavior in adolescents in order to identify individuals most prone to xenophobia in relation to foreigners.