Development of the Policy Advocacy Behavior Scale: Initial Reliability and Validity

Abstract

Contemporary trends in social service delivery systems require human service agencies to engage in greater levels of advocacy to reform structures and protect programs that serve vulnerable populations. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure the policy advocacy behavior of nonprofit human service agencies. Method: Organizational demographic and policy advocacy behavior data were collected from 43 nonprofit human service agency executive directors. Results: The researchers determined that the Policy Advocacy Behavior Scale evidenced adequate reliability and validity. Conclusions: The Policy Advocacy Behavior Scale shows promise as a tool to inform future research on social work practice models that integrate policy advocacy methods.