Development and Standardization of Need Pattern Scale by Paired Comparison Method

Abstract

Present study was carried out to develop a scale assessing individual’s needs and motives and to test its psychometric properties. The test format chosen was based on paired comparison scaling method. An item pool based on the list of manifest needs presented by Murray (1938) was generated.  Out of twenty needs, only ten needs were selected for the present study. A panel of 10 experts evaluated the items by assessing its content validity index (Lynn, 1986) and content validity ratio (Lawshe, 1975). A CVI of 0.90 was fixed to retain an item. Items with CVI less than 0.90 were revised on the basis of recommendations given by the 10 experts. Further, CVR was calculated and the minimum value of the CVR was kept at 0.99 to assess the accurateness of the items and this criterion was used for retaining the items in the scale. The scale was standardized on a sample of 200 boys and girls (age ranged between 18- 22 years) with the instructions to give their best preference by comparing each statement with rest of the statements. Inter-correlations between different needs were calculated. It was found that most of the correlations between variables are low suggesting that each need statement is measuring different need. In addition test-retest reliability co-efficient ranged from (.047- .623) and intra- rater reliability (Spearman rho ranged from .279 to .689. Kendal’s tau ranged from .047 to .550) were computed. Thus, the scale has desirable psychometric properties- reliability and content validity. It can be administered to tap the need patterns of all age groups except children.