The Generalized Acceptance of EvolutioN Evaluation (GAENE) 3.0: Enhancement and Validation of a New Measure of Acceptance

Abstract

This study builds upon existing analysis of validity and reliability wherein the instrument performed at statistically strong levels in high school and post-secondary applications (Smith, Snyder & Devereaux, 2016). In response to concerns with prior validation, the researchers added items to address extremes in the Rasch person-item continuum, removed Rasch model mis fitting items, collapsed two correlated items, and conducted further analysis of construct (convergent) validity through comparison to two existing measures of acceptance. Furthermore, this study explored the construct validity of the GAENE and conducted a comparison among secular and religious university populations. Analysis of the GAENE and related measures determined (1) that the added items on the GAENE successfully address the extremes in the Rasch person-item continuum; (2) principle-axis factoring following removal of one item supported unidimensionality of the GAENE; (3) summated raw and Rasch-based score intercorrelations suggests the measures (GAENE, MATE & ATET) are not coincident to one another evidencing convergent validity, however, at least half the variance in GAENE was not explained by MATE or ATET, demonstrating divergent validity; and (4) the GAENE fit to assumptions of Rasch modelling following removal of two items.