ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the first instrument specifically designed to measure public perceptions of rural America. The researcher-developed instrument was comprised of 22 items. An exploratory factor analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis were conducted in two different samples: a group of undergraduate students and a national sample. A four-factor model of the scale was confirmed, including community strengths and safety, economic and educational challenges, health and addiction issues, and social discrimination and cultural tensions. The scale is appropriate for measuring perceptions of rural Americans reliably and accurately. A better understanding of the perceptions of rural America will help educators and communicators identify and promote solutions for the issues and challenges facing those communities.