Development and Psychometric Validation of the Attitude Scale for Nursing Specialization

Background and Purpose: This study aimed to assess the attitudes of clinicians, academicians, and nursing students toward specialization in nursing and to validate the newly developed Attitude Scale toward Specialization in Nursing (ASSN). The objective was to create a reliable and valid tool for measuring attitudes toward nursing specialization and to ensure its practical application in both academic and clinical settings. The objective was to create a reliable and valid tool for measuring attitudes toward nursing specialization and to ensure its practical application in both academic and clinical settings. Methods: Using a quantitative design, the study incorporated exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) to develop and validate the ASSN. The scale's psychometric properties were evaluated through a multistep process, including expert reviews, pretesting, and a pilot study. A sample of 634 nursing professionals was surveyed between September and November 2021 to ensure the scale's robustness and reliability. Results: The ASSN demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, with a high content validity index of .93 and a coefficient α of .97. EFA revealed a unidimensional 18-item structure that accounted for 69.9% of the total variance. CFA confirmed a strong model fit, affirming the scale's validity and reliability. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: The ASSN is a reliable and valid tool for assessing attitudes toward nursing specialization. It provides a standardized method to inform policy-making, optimize educational curricula, and shape health care policies in the nursing sector. Patient and public input during the development phase further enhanced the scale's relevance and clarity.