Psychometric validation of the attitudes toward surrogacy questionnaire: evidence from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis
Psychometric validation of the attitudes toward surrogacy questionnaire: evidence from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis

Summary/Abstract: Surrogacy represents one of the most debated issues in contemporary reproductive law, situated at the intersection of biomedical innovation, ethical controversy, and regulatory uncertainty. Despite the growing legal and social relevance of surrogacy, empirical research on attitudes toward this practice remains methodologically fragmented, with limited availability of validated measurement instruments. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Attitudes Toward Surrogacy (ATS) questionnaire through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 365 participants. The sample was randomly divided into two independent subsamples to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. The EFA supported a two-factor structure reflecting permissive/regulation-oriented attitudes and concern-based/moral reservations. The CFA largely confirmed this structure, although model fit indices indicated areas for further refinement. Internal consistency was satisfactory for the overall scale and for the primary factor, with acceptable reliability estimates for the second dimension. The findings suggest that the ATS questionnaire represents a promising instrument for assessing multidimensional attitudes toward surrogacy. Beyond its methodological contribution, the availability of a validated tool may support socio-legal research, inform educational initiatives, and contribute to evidence-based policy deliberation in reproductive law. Further validation across diverse populations and legal contexts is recommended to consolidate the instrument’s applicability and robustness.

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