The Women’s Autonomy Measurement Scale is a 23 item measure of financial autonomy, movement autonomy and decision-making autonomy of the women particularly in the context of developing countries.
Geographies Tested: Nepal
Populations Included: Female
Age Range: Adolescents, Adults
Decision making autonomy
How do you make decision on-
1. Daily household expenditure/purchase?
2. Children's clothes and food?
3. Children's education?
4. Children's and females' health care and medicine?
5. Inviting and hosting guests?
6. Use of contraceptives?
7. Having baby/another baby?
8. Purchasing major goods in household such as land, house, computer, TV?
9. Being a member of public institutions/organizations?
Response Options:
Dependent - 0
Joint - 1
Independent - 2
Movement autonomy
Do you need permission to-
10. Going outside the house/compound?
11. Going for marketing/shopping?
12. Going to hospital/health care facility?
13. Going to children's school?
14. Visiting to natal family or relative/s' house?
15. Visiting friend/s' house?
16. Going to public places/programmes such as temple, church, other religious places, public programmes?
Financial autonomy
17. Work outside the house for income?
18. Spend money for household affairs?
19. Lend/spend money as per personal need and interest?
20. Saving money for your future use?
21. Handle separate bank account?
22. Own and control personal property?
23. Give money or goods to natal family?
Response Options:
Always - 0
Sometimes - 1
Never - 2
The total score consisted of the sum of individual items with higher scores reflecting better women’s autonomy.
Bhandari, T. R., Kutty, V. R., Sharma, P. S., & Dangal, G. (2014). Construction and validation of a women’s autonomy measurement scale with reference to utilization of maternal health care services in Nepal. Journal of Nepal Medical Association, 52(195), 925-934. https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.2718
Psychometric Score
Ease of Use Score
Formative ResearchQualitative Research
Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework
Field Expert Input
Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing
ReliabilityInternal
Test-retest
Interrater
ValidityContent
Face
Criterion (gold-standard)
Construct
KEY
Ease of UseReadability
Scoring Clarity
Length
Evidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality (EMERGE)
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