Development and Standardization of a Scale to Measure Disseminative Behaviour of Grassroots Level Extension Personnel

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to develop and standardise a reliable and valid scale for measuring the disseminative behaviour of grassroots-level extension personnel. Disseminative behaviour was conceptualised as a composite of extension activities and competencies related to the transfer of agricultural technologies and information to farmers. The scale was developed using Likert's (1932) summated rating technique. Initially, 123 statements were generated through a review of literature and expert consultation. After editing, 111 statements were subjected to relevancy analysis by experts from State Agricultural Universities and allied institutions. Based on Relevancy Percentage (≥85%) and Mean Relevancy Score (≥4.0), 77 statements were retained. Item analysis using the critical ratio ('t' value) was conducted with 32 respondents, resulting in the final selection of 49 statements distributed across nine dimensions. The scale demonstrated high reliability, with a split-half reliability coefficient of 0.84, and satisfactory validity (0.94). Administration of the scale among 60 grassroots-level extension personnel revealed that a considerable proportion of respondents belonged to the low disseminative behaviour category (38.33%), indicating scope for improving extension competencies. The developed scale provides a comprehensive and standardised tool for assessing disseminative behaviour and may be used for performance evaluation, research and designing need-based capacity-building programmes to strengthen agricultural extension services.