Copyright Malvin Porter, Jr. 2010 - acumen - The University of ...

individual data points. Even though internal consistencies can take on any value less than or
equal to 1, where the positive values are more meaningful, higher values of .70 or more are more
desirable (Lomax, 2001).
While there were low internal consistencies for each Action and Justification subscale
within each of the four stories, within story correlations revealed mixed patterns of significance
indicating methodological problems with combining both story character role and story form of
victimization for story analysis. One explanation might be that multiple story variables within a
single story confused children as the tried to imagine multiple roles and forms of victimization.
Future studies should use stories that clearly delineate single variables in order to eliminate
confounding variables.
Another explanation for low internal consistencies within stories might be the way in
which the measure was administered. Children were only given the option of the online format
and completing the measure in a group setting among their peers. They did not have the option of
using paper and pencil or to participate in an individual setting. Children might have lost
concentration and responded by keying the same values such as all 1’s or 5’s, or with a repeated
sequence of values in order to quickly complete the task. Upon close examination of the response
data, only two of original 165 participants either failed to complete the survey and were
eliminated from the data set. Another possibility might have been that children were confused
about how to interpret rated items or by the directions such as what was meant by the terms
good, bad, best or worst. Even though the researcher addressed all questions that were asked by
children and maintained close proximity in order to answer individual questions, the possibility
exists that children might have been reluctant to raise questions in the group for fear of calling
attention to themselves among their peers. For future studies, the peer effect can be controlled for
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