Psychometric Validation of the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS) With Adolescents

Despite increasing interest in mental health education to reduce stigma, few studies assess changes in self-reported and intended discriminatory behavior. The current study evaluated the psychometric quality of the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale with adolescents. Participants were 11 to 15-year-olds from England (N = 1,032, 58% female). Confirmatory factor analysis established a two-factor structure. The intended behavior scale showed high internal consistency (alpha = .94, omega = .94) and observed ceiling effects. A moderate correlation was found between intended behavior and stigma-related knowledge (r = .39). The average reading age was 14 years; however, the introductory text had a high reading age and might benefit from being simplified in future use. Females and early adolescents (aged 11-13 years) reported more positive intended behaviors overall, with some group differences in item response. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed partial scalar measurement invariance. Future research should assess self-reported and intended behavior and be cautious when investigating mean differences for gender and age.