An Investigation on Validity and Reliability of Prospective Delinquency

This study attempts to investigate validity and reliability of prospective delinquency. This research has been carried out through a survey using questionnaire distributed among the third high school students from Tabriz city in the academic year of 1393-94. Stratified random sampling were used. Some 835 subjects were selected as the sample. Validity of the study is determined using method of explanatory and confirmatory factor validity and content validity. The reliability of the study is assessed through through the Cronbach's coefficient Alpha. Factor analysis using principal component analysis and varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the prospective delinquency scale have the seven factors of violence, theft, vandalism, cheating, sexual deviance, drug use and status offences that explained 58% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale and their dimensions was desirable. The results showed that the prospective Delinquency scale has desirable valid and reliable in research community and can be used as a valid and reliable tool.