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Measuring adolescents’ beliefs in conspiracy theories: Development and validation of the Adolescent Conspiracy Beliefs Questionnaire (ACBQ)
Author(s) -
Jolley Daniel,
Douglas Karen M.,
Skipper Yvonne,
Thomas Eleanor,
Cookson Darel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
british journal of developmental psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 2044-835X
pISSN - 0261-510X
DOI - 10.1111/bjdp.12368
Subject(s) - psychology , paranoia , confirmatory factor analysis , convergent validity , discriminant validity , exploratory factor analysis , developmental psychology , scale (ratio) , test (biology) , test validity , psychometrics , extraversion and introversion , social psychology , structural equation modeling , personality , big five personality traits , internal consistency , paleontology , statistics , physics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , psychotherapist , biology
Four studies (total n = 961) developed and validated the Adolescent Conspiracy Beliefs Questionnaire (ACBQ). Initial items were developed in collaboration with teachers. An exploratory factor analysis (Study 1, n = 208, aged 11–14) and a student focus group ( N = 3, aged 11) enabled us to establish the factor structure of a 9‐item scale. This was replicated via confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 ( N = 178, aged 11–17), and the scale displayed good convergent (i.e., relationship with paranoia and mistrust) and discriminant validity (i.e., no relationship with extraversion). Study 3a ( N = 257) further tested convergent validity with a sample of 18‐year‐olds (i.e., relationship with adult‐validated measures of conspiracy beliefs) and demonstrated strong test–retest reliability. Study 3b ( N = 318) replicated these findings with a mixed‐age adult sample. The ACBQ will allow researchers to explore the psychological antecedents and consequences of conspiracy thinking in young populations.