HIV/AIDS knowledge and beliefs among pre-service and in-service school counselors - General Features

Professional School Counseling, Oct, 2002 by Amanda C. Costin, Betsy J. Page, Dale R. Pietrzak, Dianne L. Kerr, Cynthia W. Symons

Data Collection

In-service school counselors were randomly sampled (n = 558) from the state membership list of the Ohio School Counselor Association (N = 1750). Dillman's Total Design Method (Salant & Dillman, 1994) was followed: Survey packets (cover letter, survey, postage-paid return envelope) were mailed to the sample of 558 school counselors in September 1999, and a follow-up postcard was mailed to all participants one week later. Four weeks after the initial mailing, follow-up survey packets were sent to participants who had not yet responded (n = 326). Respondents were ensured confidentiality. Surveys were numbered for follow-up purposes only and names were not connected to the data. Some 279 surveys were completed, resulting in a 50% response rate for this group.

Pre-service school counselors were made up of a convenience sample. The researcher contacted faculty members in counselor education programs at 13 Ohio universities that offered school counseling programs. Eleven faculty members from 11 schools agreed to participate in the study. Participating counselor educators were asked to request voluntary participation from their school counseling students during class time, collect completed instruments, and return them to the investigator. The surveys were distributed during only one class session in school-counseling-specific courses. Prior to data collection, the Human Participants Review Boards of all participating universities approved this study.

Instrumentation

The HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Scales for Teachers (Koch & Singer, 1998) were developed to assess teachers' level of knowledge and attitudes toward HIV disease in general, and the level of their knowledge and attitudes about specific educational issues. The scales were adapted from previously used national surveys and reviewed by a panel of HIV/AIDS experts (Koch & Singer). The scales can also be used with pre-service education students and practicing educators other than teachers (Koch & Singer).

The HIV/AIDS Knowledge Scale for Teachers consists of two parts. The first part, General Knowledge, includes 14 true-false items regarding HIV/AIDS such as cause, symptoms, diagnosis, effects, and treatment and four true-false items specific to classroom issues. The second part, Likelihood of Transmission, contains 17 possible modes of HIV transmission and asks participants to rate likelihood of transmission on a five-point Likert scale (very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, very unlikely, definitely not possible). As with the true-false questions, the Likelihood of Transmission questions answered on the Likert scale have only one correct answer (very likely or definitely not possible) Thus, the entire knowledge scale contains 35 items. Respondents receive one point for each correct answer. Scores on the HIV/AIDS Knowledge Scale for Teachers can range from 0 (least knowledge, 35 questions answered incorrectly) to 35 (most knowledge, 35 questions answered correctly). Selected items from the General Knowledge Scale are presented in Table 1. (See page 82.)