مجلة جامعة الأنبار للعلوم الإنسانية (Jun 2024)
Evaluating goodness-of-fit indicators for the construct validity and reliability of the scale of the "Dragons of Inaction" Psychological Barriers to climate change mitigation and adaptation: Studying differences using Bayesian probability
Abstract
This study aimed to culturally adapt the "Dragons of Inaction Psychological Barriers" scale developed by Lacroix and her colleagues (Lacroix et al., 2019) in the Canadian context, and measure the construct validity good-fit-indexes of the standard model consisting of five psychological barriers and their stability in the Arab environment. The study also sought to identify differences in the validity and stability indicators of the standard model for both male and female samples and differences in psychological barriers to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts due to education level, age, and social status. The sample consisted of (497) adults in Saudi Arabia, aged between (27– 55) years (37.96 ± 7.88 years), with (279) males and (218) females. The "Dragons of Inaction Psychological Barriers (DIPB)" scale was applied to the study sample, developed by Lacroix et al. (2019) and adapted by the researcher for the Arab context in this study. The results indicated that the scale has good validity and stability indicators for both dimensions and the overall scale. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the standard five-factor model of psychological barriers had good of-fit construct validity indexes, with no differences between male and female standard models in terms of validity and stability indexes, as both showed good validity and stability. Additionally, the Bayesian independent samples t-test showed differences in psychological barriers to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts due to education level, age group, and social status. Based on these findings, the study recommended the urgent need to measure the psychological barriers to interpret the gap between individuals' attitudes towards climate change and the actions they take to mitigate it, to develop plans and policies based on scientific evidence. It also recommended the importance of designing programs to reduce these psychological barriers among individuals.
Keywords
