Development of an Image Scale for Support Agencies

Abstract

In this study, we developed a scale to measure university students’ perceptions and understanding of accessible counseling services (e.g., student counseling offices) and specialized child welfare agencies (e.g., child guidance centers). A total of 98 female Japanese university students participated. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a two-factor model consisting of “trust and acceptance” and “resistance”. The first factor, “trust and acceptance”, includes items such as “A place I can trust” and “A place that accepts me”. In contrast, the second factor, “resistance”, includes items such as “A place that is hard to walk into” and “A place where I feel there is a psychological barrier to visiting”. This scale is expected to be a valuable tool for assessing perceptions and understanding of specialized child welfare and counseling agencies in future research and practice.