Development and Psychometric Validation of the Attitudes Toward Contraceptive Use Scale (ACUS) in University Students

Adolescence and youth are key stages for acquiring responsible sexual behaviour. Previous research has focused on measuring knowledge; however, in order to achieve the goal of developing safe sexual behaviour, it is necessary to complement this with measures of attitudes, for which there is currently a lack of valid and reliable measurement tools specifically focused on attitudes toward contraceptive use. The objective of this research is to develop and psychometrically validate the Attitudes Toward Contraceptive Use Scale (ACUS) in university students. A cross-sectional correlational validation study was designed using Item Response Theory. The sample consisted of 411 nursing students aged between 18 and 25 years. The final version of the scale, comprising 12 items, was evaluated using the Rasch Rating Scale Model (Andrich model), and its reliability was assessed in terms of internal consistency and temporal stability. The Rasch model showed an excellent overall fit, high item reliability (0.989), adequate person reliability (0.81), and good temporal stability (ICC = 0.796). The ACUS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing attitudes toward contraception among university students. It can be used to identify less favourable attitudinal profiles toward contraceptive use and subsequently guide educational interventions.