title: [Development of an attitude-measurement questionnaire using the semantic differential technique: defining the attitudes of radiological technology students toward X-ray examination].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In general, it is difficult to objectively evaluate the results of an educational program. The semantic differential (SeD) technique, a methodology used to measure the connotative meaning of objects, words, and concepts, can, however, be applied to the evaluation of students' attitudes. In this study, we aimed to achieve an objective evaluation of the effects of radiological technology education. We therefore investigated the attitude of radiological students using the SeD technique. We focused on X-ray examinations in the field of radiological technology science.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bipolar adjective scales were used for the SeD questionnaire. To create the questionnaire, appropriate adjectives were selected from past reports of X-ray examination practice. The participants were 32 senior students at Hokkaido University at the Division of Radiological Technology at the School of Medicine's Department of Health Sciences. All the participants completed the questionnaire. The study was conducted in early June 2012. Attitudes toward X-ray examination were identified using a factor analysis of 11 adjectives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factor analysis revealed the following three attitudes: feelings of expectation, responsibility, and resistance. Knowledge regarding the attitudes that students have toward X-ray examination will prove useful for evaluating the effects of educational intervention. In this study, a sampling bias may have occurred due to the small sample size; however, no other biases were observed.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terashita
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011361:Professional Competence; D011859:Radiography / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012659:Semantic Differential; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000193:education*; D055815:Young Adult