Development and initial validation of the urban adolescent hope scale

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Adolescent Mental Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Hope is crucial for adolescent mental health.
• Limited research exists on hope within specific locales, particularly for urban adolescents.
• Previous qualitative research guided the development of a contextualized hope measure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the initial validation of the Urban Adolescent Hope Scale (UAHS).
• To provide a reliable instrument for measuring hope in urban adolescent populations.
• To address the gap in research on hope among urban youth.

Main Methods:

• A 24-item scale was developed based on qualitative inquiry findings.
• Face and content validity were assessed by expert consultation.
• The instrument was administered during a school-wide needs assessment at an urban Midwestern high school.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory factor analysis supported a reliable five-factor structure for the UAHS.
• The five factors identified were Spirituality, Personal Agency, The Basics, Education, and Caring Connections.
• High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ranging from .875 to .936) was demonstrated for each factor.

Conclusions:

• The Urban Adolescent Hope Scale (UAHS) demonstrates initial validity and reliability.
• The UAHS is suitable for measuring hope in urban adolescents.
• Findings have implications for future research and clinical practice concerning adolescent hope.