Suchergebnisse

Abstract: Background: Despite the growing number of organ transplants, there is still a significant difference between the number of donated organs and the number of people waiting for them. Knowing the reason people decide to donate is the first step to increasing organ donation rates. Aims: The main aim of the present study was to develop and validate a new scale for organ donation. Method: In three studies, 3,585 participants ranging in age between 14 and 89 years were selected through systematic random sampling. In the first study, we created a scale following the organ donation model theoretical framework and submitted the scale to exploratory factor analysis. In the second study, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis to cross-validate the hypothesized factor structure. In the third study, the scale was related to some important variables involved in organ donation. Results: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with a good fit index and acceptable levels of validity and reliability guarantee the quality of the scale and stable factor solution. Limitations: The main limitations are connected to social desirability, the presence of systematic bias of the population that refused to take part in the study, and the use of the Caucasian population. Conclusion: The resulting scale consists of 21 items in a seven-factor model (bodily integrity, fear of death, familial beliefs, altruism, medical mistrust, trust in the health institution, and emotional support). We also observed the relationship between scale factors, religiosity, and knowledge of organ donation with the willingness to donate organs.

Abstract. This study explored the relationship between the ability to talk to others in more than one language and ethnic prejudice, considering the quality and quantity of intergroup contact. A structural equation model analysis was carried out on a sample of 631 Italian citizens. The results showed that multilingualism led to an increase of acceptance of intergroup differences and positive attitudes toward Moroccans and that the quality (but not quantity) of intergroup contact-mediated those relationships. The mediating role of the quality of intergroup contact extends previous results on the relationship between multilingualism and positive attitudes toward ethnic out-groups. These findings are important from a scientific point of view, as they enrich the conditions of the intergroup contact hypothesis.