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Attitudes towards Italian Mafias Scale (AIMS): development and validation
Michael Schepisi1,2, Marco Tullio Liuzza3, Althea Frisanco1,2
1Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome Center for Life Nano-&Neuroscience, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy.
Peerj
|October 30, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed the Attitude towards Italian Mafias Scale (AIMS) to measure public sentiment. The AIMS scale showed validity and reliability, revealing more negative attitudes towards mafias in Southern Italy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminology
Background:
- Assessing public attitudes towards organized crime, specifically Italian mafias, is crucial for understanding societal impact.
- Existing measures may not adequately capture the multifaceted nature of attitudes towards mafias.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a reliable scale measuring attitudes towards Italian mafias.
- To explore the latent structure of attitudes towards mafias, including behavioral, cognitive, and emotional components.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted involving Exploratory Factor Analysis (Study 1) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Study 2).
- Psychometric properties, including validity, reliability, and measurement invariance, were assessed.
- Attitudes were compared between participants from deep-rooted mafia regions and the rest of Italy.
Main Results:
- The Attitude towards Italian Mafias Scale (AIMS) was developed with 18 items, comprising a general factor and three specific factors (Behaviors, Cognitions, Emotions-Cognitions).
- The AIMS demonstrated discriminant and predictive validity, internal consistency, and measurement invariance.
- Participants from Southern Italian mafia regions exhibited more negative attitudes towards mafias than those from other regions.
Conclusions:
- The AIMS is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing attitudes towards Italian mafias.
- Findings suggest a nuanced understanding of regional differences in attitudes towards mafias.
- The scale can inform targeted interventions and educational programs related to organized crime.
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