Validation of the Chinese expanded Euthanasia Attitude Scale

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Medical Ethics
• Sociology

Background:

• Attitudes towards euthanasia vary globally.
• Existing scales may not adequately capture cultural nuances.
• Cross-cultural research on euthanasia requires validated instruments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Chinese version of an expanded 31-item Euthanasia Attitude Scale.
• To confirm the psychometric properties of the Chinese scale.
• To provide a culturally relevant tool for assessing euthanasia attitudes.

Main Methods:

• A four-stage validation process was employed.
• Pilot survey with 119 college students.
• Randomized household survey with 618 adults in Hong Kong.
• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine scale structure.

Main Results:

• The validation process confirmed a robust 4-factor structure for the Chinese Euthanasia Attitude Scale.
• The scale effectively measures attitudes toward general, active, passive, and non-voluntary euthanasia.
• The scale demonstrated conceptual and measurement superiority over Western predecessors.

Conclusions:

• The validated Chinese Euthanasia Attitude Scale is a reliable and robust instrument.
• The scale can be used to examine diverse attitudes towards euthanasia in Chinese populations.
• It facilitates cross-cultural comparisons of euthanasia attitudes and decision-making.