Atitudes of Suburban High School Students Toward Behaviors Associated With High-Achieving Peers: Development and Validation of the Peer Assessment Scale

Abstract

The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the acceptance of high school students (Grades 9-12) of the behavioral characteristics associated with high-ability peers. A secondary purpose was to develop an attitude instrument to assess this acceptance, the Peer Assessment Scale (PAS). The procedures used to develop the instrument and the results obtained from the pilot of the instrument in three Connecticut high schools are described. Factor analysis identified the two behavioral characteristics supported in the literature and identified by the judges in the content validity stage: (a) an Academic factor and (b) a Social/Emotional factor. Results indicated that females were significantly more accepting of the behaviors associated with Factors 1 and 2, as were students who reported themselves to be above average in scholastic ability. Although there were no significant differences among females of average and above average ability at each grade level with respect to the social and emotional behaviors associated with high-ability peers, above average males in Grades 10, 11, and 12 were significantly more accepting of the aforementioned behaviors than their above average counterparts in Grade 9.