CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
THE IMPACT OF THE SILENT SCREAM
AS A HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION
A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health
by
Jacqueline M. Changala
January, 1987
(\
The Thesis of Jacqueline M. Changala is approved:
Mary C.
~afker,
R.N., M.S.
ii
.
©1986
Jacqueline M. Changala
All Rights Reserved
;;i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to acknowledge and thank several individuals and
organizations that contributed to this research study.
I am grateful to the college instructors who permitted me to
enter their classrooms to conduct my research; and to the National
Right to Life Committee, Washington, DC; American Portrait Films of
Anaheim, California, the production company of The Silent Scream;
and The Life Education Center of Santa Ana, California, for their
time and expertise.
A heartfelt thank you goes to James Fleming, Director of the
Computer Center, California State University, Northridge for his
countless hours of guidance and programming.
I am in deep appreciation to my committee members: to Goteti
Krishnamurty, a true educator, for his constant support and direction
to "discover"; to Mike Kline for his professional and much-respected
advice; and to Mitzi Parker, for her uplifting attitude and encouragement.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv
vi
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LIST OF TABLES
ABSTRACT . • . .
CHAPTER
1
2
3
INTRODUCTION • . . . . .
Background . . . . . .
The Abortion Debate •.
The Court Decision
Abortion Statistics . .
Purpose . . . . . . .
Problem Statement . .
Null Hypotheses . . . .
Three Student Groups .
Comparison of Three Student Groups
Review of the Literature . . . . .
Public Opinion of Abortion
Factors Affecting Public Opinion
Pro-Life Shift in Public Opinion
Pro-Life Education Activities .•
The Advent of The Silent Scream .
Film Content . . . . . . . . .
Reactions to the Film . . . . .
Use of Film in Health Education
Limitations .
1
1
1
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
7
9
14
16
19
21
23
24
25
25
27
METHODOLOGY . . . . .
Procedure . • . . .
Instrument . . . .
The Research Design
Statistical Analysis
30
30
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Null Hypothesis 1
Null Hypothesis 2 . .
Null Hypothesis 3 . .
Null Hypotheses 4, 5, 6 .
Demographic Factors . .
Knowledge Item Analysis .
Attitude Item Analysis
School Attendance and Demographic Factors Affecting
Attitude . . . • . . . .
. ...
Conclusion
Summary .
31
31
31
34
34
36
38
40
45
46
50
REFERENCES . . .
54
APPENDIX - Student Survey/Survey Answer Key
58
v
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page
1
Subjects - Demographic Information
28
2
Knowledge Scores by School
32
3
Attitude Scores by School .
33
4
Analysis of Variance Between Schools on Knowledge
and Attitude . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
35
5
Knowledge Item Analysis . . . . . . . . .
38
6
Attitude Item Analysis - Likert Scale Scores
41
7
Attitude Item Analysis - Percent of Students
Agreeing, Holding No Opinion, Disagreeing on
Specific Attitude Items . • . , . . • . . . .
42
School and Demographic Factors Affecting Specific
Attitude Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
47
8
vi
ABSTRACT
THE IHPACT OF THE SILENT SCREAM
AS A HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION
by
Jacqueline M. Changala
Master of Public Health
Few issues have surpassed abortion in generating controversy and
disagreement among men.
An analysis of public opinion indicates that
there has been a slight shift to the pro-life or anti-abortion stance,
the first since the United States Supreme Court legalized abortion on
demand in the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 (Hume, 1985; Sackett,
1985a).
In 1985, a film entitled The Silent Scream, which depicts a
real-time ultrasound of a 12-week-old fetus being aborted, increased
media exposure of the pro-life movement (Thomas, 1985).
The film's
intent is to educate the general public on the viability of the unborn
child and to change its opinion on the morality of legalized abortion
on demand, and thus contribute to the repeal of Roe v. Wade.
The purpose of this research study is to determine if the viewing
of The Silent Scream affects change in the knowledge and attitude of
three Orange County college populations:
a public junior college and
university, and a private Christian college, and if so, will the
affected changes differ among these distinct groups.
vii
Fifty-one students participated in the research.
Before and
after viewing the film, the students completed a questionnaire that
consisted of 11 knowledge items based upon factual information presented in The Silent Scream, and 14 attitude items placed on a 5-point
Likert scale.
The attitude items were similar to questions used by
the National Opinion Research Center from 1972-84, the Gallup polls
of 1968-77, and the National Fertility Studies to assess public
opinion on abortion.
The attitude items were placed on a pro-choice/
pro-life scale.
The statistical analysis for this study was completed by using
the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Statistical
significance was determined by the student t-test and analysis of
variance at the level of significance
E<
.05.
The Silent Scream significantly influenced two schools, the
junior college and university, in increasing knowledge regarding the
unborn child and abortion.
The three schools did not significantly
differ in pre-test (baseline) or post-test knowledge scores, nor in
knowledge gained.
In contrast to knowledge, the film seemed to have influenced the
students at all three schools to become more pro-life.
There was no
significant difference between the three schools in the amount of
change in attitude.
The schools were not comparable when pre-test
(baseline) scores in attitude were considered.
Age, sex, ethnicity and religion did not affect these results.
This study demonstrates that The Silent Scream influenced two
public college populations to gain knowledge and three college populations to change their attitude regarding the unborn child and
viii
abortion.
These results, along with findings by Louis Harris and
Associates (1985) for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
Inc. indicate that the film may be a factor in increasing public
support for the pro-life cause.
ix
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Background
The Abortion Debate
Few issues have surpassed abortion in generating controversy
and disagreement among men.
Abortion affects almost every fiber of
society as it revolves around the most fundamental issues of sex,
religion and the meaning of life (Sackett, 1985a), and has profound
implications in politics, medicine, and the social realm.
as Noonan (1979) suggests, abortion is
11
However,
an issue that once or twice
in a century . . . arises so devisive in its nature, so far-reaching
in its consequences, and so deep in its foundation that it calls
every person to take a stand .. ( p. 1).
In debates on abortion, the most vocal activists are usually
those who are either for abortion on demand or not for abortion at
all.
Public opinion, in contrast, is somewhere in the middle.
The
majority of Americans believe that abortion should remain legal in at
least some circumstances, but a slim majority oppose legal abortion
in most of the circumstances where it takes place today (Sackett,
1985b).
In fact, recent trends indicate that there has been a slight
shift to the anti-abortion or pro-life stand (Hume, 1985; Sackett,
1985a).
This is apparent in both the political world and in medi-
cine, and by the increased media exposure of the pro-life movement
1
2
primarily caused by a film entitled The Silent Scream depicting a
real-time ultrasound film of a 12-week-old fetus being aborted
(Thomas, 1985).
This poses a serious social and legal question that
has tremendous health implications.
The Court Decision
As many believe that abortion is only legal in the first trimester of a pregnancy (Sackett, 1985a), it is important to briefly
note the history of the law and how it reads.
On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court struck
down all state laws regarding abortion, and legalized abortion on a
national scale in the infamous case of Roe v. Wade.
The law reads,
according to Justice Blackmum who delivered the opinion of the Court,
as:
a)
For the stage prior to approximately the end of the first
trimester, the abortion decision and its effectuation must
be left to the medical judgment of the pregnant woman's
attending physician.
b)
For the stage subsequent to approximately the end of the
first trimester, the state, in promoting its interest in
the health of the mother, may, if it chooses, regulate the
abortion procedure in ways that are reasonably related to
maternal health.
c)
For the stage subsequent to viability, the state, in promoting its interest in the potentiality of human life, may,
if it chooses, regulate, and even proscribe, abortion except
where it is necessary, in appropriate medical judgment, for
the preservation of the life or health of the mother (Roe v.
Wade, 1973, p. 49).
In a simplified summary of the Court ruling, during the first
three months, abortion is available en demand.
In the second three
months, the state may only enact laws to protect the health of the
mother in terms of who performs the abortion and where it occurs.
3
The state may not enact laws to protect the fetus.
In the last three
months of a pregnancy, the state may enact a law to forbid a woman to
have an abortion that is not found necessary to preserve her "life or
health" where health is described in broad terms, i.e., social or
psychological well-being (Powell, 1981).
Abortion Statistics
According to a Newsweek poll of 1985, from 1973 to 1985, 15 million legal abortions were performed in the United States.
One-fourth
of all pregnancies end in abortion, amounting to 4,000 per day.
Ninety percent occur before the thirteenth week while one percent are
done after the twentieth week of the pregnancies.
In New York, the
number of live births equals the number of abortions.
Seventy-nine
percent of abortions are performed on unmarried women, usually in
their twenties, for financial or psychological convenience (Sackett,
1985a).
The abortion rate is higher in the United States than in
Canada, England, France, Sweden and The Netherlands (Harris, 1985).
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of The Silent
Scream, a health education intervention designed by the pro-life
movement to influence the general public•s knowledge and opinion on
abortion.
Specifically, this research study will focus on the film•s
influence upon three college student populations.
Problem Statement
This research study will determine if students attending three
different colleges:
a public junior college, a public university,
4
and a private Christian college, gain knowledge and change their
attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion after viewing The
Silent Scream, and if so, will the affected changes differ among
these distinct student groups.
Null Hypotheses
Three Student Groups
1.
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) atti-
tude regarding the unborn child and abortion among junior college
students before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
2.
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) atti-
tude regarding the unborn child and abortion among private Christian
college students before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
3.
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) atti-
tude regarding the unborn child and abortion among university students
before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
Comparison of Three Student Groups
4.
There is no difference in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion among junior
college and university students before and after viewing The Silent
Scream.
5.
There is no difference in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion among university and private Christian college students before and after viewing
The Silent Scream.
6.
There is no difference in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion among junior
5
college and private Christian college students before and after
viewing The Silent Scream.
Review of the Literature
Public Opinion of Abortion
There is usually a minority of those who are in favor or opposed
to abortion in all cases, but a majority of Americans are somewhere
in the middle.
The Gallup Polls summarize that since 1975, 55% of
all Americans believe that abortion should be legal only in some
circumstances.
Twenty to twenty-five percent believe it should be
legal in all cases while 15-20% agree that it should be illegal in
all cases (Sackett, 1985b).
The National Opinion Research Center (NORC), which has conducted
the most comprehensive survey of the abortion issue, states that
since 1965, there has always been overwhelming support for abortion
in cases of rape, serious defect to the baby, or if the mother's
health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy.
All three cases
have had at least 79% of the population agree to abortion and as high
as 92% have agreed in cases where the mother's health is endangered.
However, the NORC states that the above approved abortions are only
11
11
a small amount of those actually taking place, and in 1983-84, there
was a slight disapproval of the majority of abortions that occur
under other circumstances (Sackett, 1985b).
In 1984, the NORC found that 54% of the respondents believed
that an abortion should not be allowed if the family has a low income
and cannot afford any more children; 56% believed that it should not
be allowed if a pregnant woman is not married and does not want to
6
marry the man, or if she is married and does not want any more children, which has never been approved by the majority of respondents in
all past surveys (Sackett, 1985b).
Similar findings have been noted
by The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (Harris, 1985).
William Schneider, polling analyst for American Enterprise
Institute and the Los Angeles Times explains why abortion is approved
in some circumstances, but not in most, by suggesting that:
People draw the line when the pregnancy was, at least to some
degree, a deliberate decision. The public is sympathetic to
any danger to mother or child. But when the woman has had some
control over her condition, the public does not support abortion
as a way of getting out of it. Most people do not endorse abortion as a form of birth control (Sackett, 1985b, p. 19).
A January 1985 CBS/New York Times poll found that 38% of the
respondents want to keep abortion legal as it is now, 45% want
abortion to be legal only in cases where the mother•s health is
endangered, or in cases of rape or incest, and 13% believe that
abortion should not be allowed at all.
In general, 58% want more
restrictive laws (Sackett, 1985b).
According to a mi d-1985 poll entitled Pub 1 i c Attitudes About
11
Sex Education, Family Planning and Abortion in the United States
11
conducted by Louis Harris and Associates for The Planned Parenthood
Federation of America, Inc., 37% of the respondents favor a constitutional ban on abortion while 55% oppose it.
This differs from
33% who favored a constitutional ban while 58% oppose it in mid-1984.
Also, it was found that 50% are in favor of Roe v. Wade as it now
reads versus 47% opposing.
This differs from 56% who approved the
law and the 42% who opposed it in 1985.
7
Similarly, the Gallup organization in a Newsweek poll of January
19b5 ( America•s Abortion Dilemma,.) found that 58% would support a
11
ban on legalized abortion except in cases of rape or incest and danger to mother•s health, up from 50% in Fall 1984.
One-third of the
respondents think that restrictions are necessary due to modern medicine•s ability to keep the fetus alive.
As in the past, only 25%
support an absolute right to abortion.
Even though support exists for changing the law, according to
the January 1985 ABC/Washington Post poll, less than half of the
respondents agreed that making abortion illegal would substantially
decrease the number of abortions, and 73% believed that women will
seek and have abortions regardless of the law (Sackett, 1985b).
The
Newsweek poll states that 87% feel that women will be physically
hanned by obtaining illegal abortions ( America•s Abortion Dilemma,"
11
1985) .
In conclusion, to only re-emphasize the controversy and indecision of public opinion, the
Newswee~
poll found that 40% of the
respondents questioned their own opinion whether for or against
legalized abortion, and in terms of morality, 37% sec abortion as
immoral, 8% see it as moral, while 50% feel that abortion is not a
question of morality at all (Sackett, 1985b).
Factors Affecting Public Opinion
In an attempt to understand public opinion on abortion, various
research studies have been undertaken to identify the factors that
contribute to an individual •s opinion of the issue.
(l
'
8
The majority of research indicates that the higher the level of
education, income and occupational prestige a person has, the more
likely he will defend a woman's right to an abortion (Blake, 1971;
Combs &Welch, 1982; Ebaugh & Haney, 1980; Legge, 1983; Tedrow &
Mahoney, 1979).
Sex does not appear to have a significant effect; however, on
specific survey items that men and women differ on, men tend to be
more liberal (Legge, 1983; Sackett, 1985b).
Some research has
attributed this finding to the fact that women attend church more
often than men and are therefore less approving on some abortion
issues.
However, the 1980 Election Study of the Survey Research
Center of the University of Michigan indicates that women are more
liberal, in contrast to the works noted previously (Legge, 1983).
Studies indicate that age is not as important as a factor as
others; however, the older a person is, the more likely he will be
against abortion.
A 1978 survey of New Jersey voters showed that
people over 50 years of age are two times more likely to be antiabortion than 18 to 29 year olds (Legge, 1983).
The National Opinion Research Center indicates that race does
play a role in public opinion as whites are more pro-abortion than
non-whites (Legge, 1983).
In 1983, 26% of non-whites believed that
abortion should be illegal in all circumstances in contrast to only
15% of whites.
Again, this is attributed to church attendance as
more non-whites are regular churchgoers.
Most research indicates
that religion, as measured by church attendance, contributes to less
support for abortion (Legge, 1983; Sackett, 1985b; Tedrow & Mahoney,
1979).
However, the abortion issue is no longer considered a
9
"Catholic" issue as in the past.
There is no significant difference
between Catholic and Protestant views, but it has been noted that the
"importance" of religion to a person does increase opposition to
abortion (Sackett, 1985b).
Political party affiliation bears no relationship to one's
attitude on abortion, and studies completed on liberal and conservative political scales are inconsistent (Legge, 1983).
Research on marital status, however, does show a slight influence in that married persons tend to be more anti-abortion as well as
does being the parent of children under the age of 6 years.
Although extensive research has analyzed factors such as education, income, occupational prestige, sex, age, religion, political
affiliation, marital status, and parenthood, there are many inconsistencies and, overall, very few predictors to determine public opinion
on abortion (Legge, 1983).
Pro-Life Shift in Public Opinion
An analysis of current public opinion on abortion reveals that
there has been a slight shift to the pro-life or anti-abortion stance
(Hume, 1985; Sackett, 1985a).
In recent years, a growing and contin-
uing doubt has emerged regarding the abortion law as it reads today.
Sentiment to the pro-life movement is apparent in both the
political world and in medicine.
Similarly, media exposure, which
had been partisan to the pro-abortion or pro-choice view for the last
13 years, has been devoting more attention to the pro-life movement
(Thomas, 1985).
10
The abortion issue has become a central one in politics.
In the
1984 Presidential campaign, Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic Party
vice presidential nominee, was attacked by anti-abortion activists
for her pro-choice stand.
President Ronald Reagan is very outspoken
on his opposition to abortion and has vowed to reverse the law on
legalized abortion.
In 1985, he was the first president to address
the annual Pro-Life March held in Washington, DC every January 22nd,
the anniversary of the passage of Roe v. Wade.
President Reagan has
also appointed several right-to-life advocates to top federal posts
(Hume, 1985) .
Supporters of abortion rights on Capitol Hill acknowledge that a
decade of protests against them have taken their toll.
Senator Bob
Packwood, Republican of Oregon, states "more people will vote against
me solely on this issue than will vote for me solely on it" (Hume,
1985, p. 11).
In 1984, anti-abortionists gained 12 seats in the
House; however, there is still too small of a minority to pass a
constitutional amendment.
Federal funding of most abortions for poor people, government
workers and others has been almost totally eliminated, and abortionrelated bills are being pushed in 37 state legislatures (Hume, 1985).
Although right-to-life organizations generally denounce the
recent rash of abortion clinic bombings, these terrorist actions have
garnered a tremendous amount of publicity for the pro-life side.
During the 14 months from February 1984 to April 1985, 231 violent
acts, ranging from bombs to death threats, have occurred (Hume, 19&5).
Thirty such attacks have occurred in the Washington, DC area alone
since 1982.
President Reagan has stated, "I condemn in the strongest
11
possible terms those individuals who perpetuate these and all such
violent 'anarchist activities .. ' ("America's Abortion Dilemma," 1985,
p. 22).
However, the media exposure is still invaluable.
Advances in medical technology have compounded the moral disquiet of the abortion issue.
Greater knowledge of when life begins,
aided by electronic fetal heart monitoring, fetology, hysteroscopy,
and radio immunochemistry, along with neonatal intensive care units
and in utero surgery saving the lives of premature babies earlier
than ever, contributes to the dilemma of whether the fetus is a person or not.
Similarly, sonograms allow parents to see the fetus in
graphic detail.
Dr. Thomas Murray of the University of Texas Medical
School agrees, "Clearly we are at the point where the moral status of
the fetus is up for grabs because of technological development"
("America's Abortion Dilemma," 1985, p. 22).
Medicine now has the ability to treat the fetus as a second
patient.
The sixteenth edition of Williams Obstetrics (1980), a
standard medical school textbook, states in the preface, "Happily we
have entered an era in which the fetus can be rightfully considered
and treated as our second patient.
Who would have dreamed even a few
years ago that we could serve the fetus as physicians?" (Smith, 1985,
p. 16).
Dr. Murray also states, "When you do things to a child in
the womb, you're acknowledging that you're dealing with a patient.
It's hard to do that and then turn around and abort a child of the
same developmental age" ("America's Abortion Dilemma," 1985, p. 26).
Many believe that recent advances in perinatal interventions are
altering the biological foundation upon which the Roe v. Wade decision is based (Blank, 1984).
The viability of 28 weeks used in the
12
Roe v. Wade decision is slowly being stripped down ( America•s Abor11
tion Dilemma,
11
1985).
The court has been criticized because it
failed to recognize or understand the extent to which technological
advances can alter biological fact (Blank, 1984).
As the law now
reads, the fetus is not viable at 28 weeks; however, today, with
artificial aid, a 28-week-old fetus can survive.
Fletcher (1979), a
proponent of abortion, states that using viability as an indicator
for legal abortion might eliminate the right to choose as viability
may even be stretched to four weeks by modern technology.
What was
somewhat of a philosophical decision has become one of fact where a
moral issue has a scientific component (Thomas, 1985).
Where does this leave the status of the U.S. Supreme Court?
Prior to June 17, 19&6, of the nine Justices, six still supported Roe
v. Wade; however, five are over 75 years of age and may not outlive
President Reagan•s second term.
early retirement is possible.
Of the six, two have stated that an
One of the supporters, Justice Lewis F.
Powell, believes however that the doctrine needs to be re-evaluated
due to recent technological advances.
The three opposing Justices
were Sandra Day o•connor, William H. Rehnquist and Byron R. White
11
(
America•s Abortion Dilemma, 1985).
Then on June 17, 1986, Chief Justice Warren Burger, a supporter
of Roe v. Wade, retired to chair the Commission on the Bicentennial
of the United States Constitution.
President Reagan nominated
William H. Rehnquist, an auortion critic, to the Chief Justice position, and Judge Antonio Scalia of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to fill the vacancy created by Burger•s departure.
Following Senate confirmation, both Rehnquist and Scalia were sworn
13
in as Chief Justice and Associate Justice respectively on September
26, 1986.
Although Justice Scalia has not delivered a written opin-
ion on abortion, he is described as a judicial conservative.
One
can only speculate on his stand towards abortion, although one must
consider President Reagan's vow to reverse Roe v. Wade.
As noted previously, various factors in politics, medicine and
the media have contributed to the shift towards the pro-life sentiment.
However, other factors have also played a role.
Many people
are just now realizing that the law allows abortion past the first
trimester (Sackett, 1985a) even though most individuals believe that
abortion should be legal or illegal no matter when it is performed.
Also, people who view it as a right of a woman are uneasy about how
much that right has been exercised (Hume, 1985).
Representative
Henry Waxman, Democrat of California and an abortion rights leader in
Congress comments,
11
People are genuinely troubled by the large number
of abortions taking place, and by the convenience of them.
There is
a serious backlash against feminist leaders who are perceived as
callously indifferent to the moral issue .. (Hume, 1985, p. 1).
Another major factor is that abortion rights activists are not
arguing as loud as anti-abortionists.
According to Faye Wattleton,
President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
11
We aren't
going to argue whether they believe abortion is right or wrong, but
whether women have the right to choose that for themselves (Hume,
1985, p. 1).
It seems difficult to stir up fervor for people's
rights to have a choice.
(l
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14
il
Pro-Life Education Activities
Another factor that the pro-life movement would like to suggest
has played a role in this shift to the pro-life sentiment is the role
of pro-life education activities.
The following is a brief history
of these activities according to the National Right to Life Committee
Public Relations Department (Dan Donehey, Director of Public Relations, National Right to Life Committee, February 6, 1986).
In 1973, four states printed individual newsletters that were
mailed to large community mailing lists.
These newsletters were
mimeographed legal size drafts of pro-life information and educational material.
However, it was soon realized that the pro-life
movement needed a voice in Washington, DC.
Hence, the National Right
to Life Committee was formalized and began its own newsletter, centralizing and organizing what the individual states had been doing on
their own small scale to promote pro-life education and a ban on
legalized abortions.
In the early 1970s, educational tools were developed on a small
scale basis by local community pro-life groups.
Most of these tools
were pamphlets and similar literature.
In 1971, J. C. Wilke, MD authored Handbook on'Abortion (Hayes
Publishing Company, 1971), a text describing abortion and abortion
procedures, and soon started touring the United States on what some
would call a "whistle stop train ride."
Dr. Wilke then created what
proved to be a better educational tool than his book because of its
visual impact, a slide show entitled Abortion, How It Is.
Profes-
sionals in various hospitals took photographs of abortions and sent
.
15
them to Dr. Wilke.
He then utilized these photographs for the slide
show.
Because of the positive response to this audio-visual tool, 16
mm films were soon made to promote the pro-life movement.
Films such
as A Sign of Life by New Liberty and produced by Donald Smith, and
A Matter of Choice portraying a saline abortion were made available.
The only drawback to the use of film as an educational tool was the
cost.
Most films cost $1,000 each and rental fees are $50.
The
National Right to Life Committee, which has 2,000 local organizations
in the 50 states, helps to organize the rental of these films.
Efforts to make less expensive videotapes are currently in effect.
In 1980, Bernard Nathanson MD released Aborting America (Doubleday, 1979).
Even though this book exposed the National Association
for the Repeal of Abortion Laws' (now known as National Abortion
Rights Action League [NARAL]) tactics and why Dr. Nathanson, once an
abortion advocate and leader of the NARAL, switched sides on the
issue and began to denounce abortions, the text did not garner a
great amount of media attention as an educational or advocacy tool
for the pro-life movement.
Throughout 1980-85, films and pamphlets of an improved quality
continued to be the principal pro-life education tools.
The films
included Assignment: Life (1980), which presents the problem of unwanted pregnancies, abortion alternatives, and suction and saline
abortions; A Matter of Choice, a shortened version of Assignment:
Life, and Conceived in Liberty (1984) depictin9 the pro-life movement.
Then in January 1985, The Silent Scream made its debut.
film turned the abortion controversy around.
This
The NARAL is now on the
16
defensive for the first time in many years.
The issue has changed
from one dealing with women and their rights to the rights of the
fetus.
As the topic of this thesis, this film will be discussed in
more detail forthcoming.
The pro-life movement has also entered the radio and television
media.
The National Right To Life Committee produces a 5-minute
radio show entitled Pro-Li fe Perspective., with host Dr. Wilke,
11
President of the National Right to Life Committee.
In less than a
year of production, the show is aired on 200 radio stations, 20%
being secular radio stations.
Similarly, local pro-life groups are
doing their own television programs.
The Advent of The Silent Scream
The National Right to Life Committee states that The Silent
Scream is one of the best education tools the pro-life movement has
offered and has been most instrumental in turning the abortion issue
around as, for the first time in years, the NARAL is on the defensive.
The Silent Scream, a 28-minute, 16 mm film, was produced by
American Portrait Films in Anaheim, California and released in January 1985.
The executive producer is Donald Smith.
The Silent Scream
is a health education intervention to educate the general public on
the viability of the unborn child and to change its opinion on the
morality of legalized abortion on demand.
The ultimate goal of the
pro-life movement is, of course, to repeal the Roe v. Wade decision.
Clips of the film have been shown on all three major television
networks (ABC, NBC and CBS) and more comprehensive coverage has been
given on the commentary/talk shows of Phil Donahue, 20/20, Nightline
17
with Ted Koppel, CBS Morning News, Good Morning America and Hour
Magazine.
The Silent Scream has also appeared in such written media
as the New York Times, Washington Post, The Washington Times, Los
Angeles Times, Time magazine, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report.
The Silent Scream is narrated by Bernard Nathanson MD, a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist.
The credibility of Dr. Nathanson
has undeniably added to the impact of the film as he was the cofounder of the influential National Abortion Rights Action League
(NARAL), the group which helped to legalize abortion first in New
York in 1970 and then on a national level in 1973.
Dr. Nathanson's involvement in the pro-choice movement resulted
from the continual hypocrisy he saw in the medical field when he had
to treat victims of dangerous illegal abortions or self-inflicted
abortions.
Additionally, women would fake miscarriages to allow for
legal abortions in hospitals.
Angered by what was happening, Dr.
Nathanson decided to take a stand for safe and
lega~
abortions, and
hence his involvement in NARAL.
After the New York law passed, Dr. Nathanson inspected abortion
clinics for NARAL endorsement, and in 1971, he became the administrator of New York's most active abortion clinic, The Center for Reproductive and Sexual Health (CRASH), where he presided over 60,000
abortions.
He also continued as the Medical Director for the NARAL.
In 1973, the year Roe v. Wade passed, Dr. Nathanson withdrew
from his association with the NARAL due to political infighting and
sheer exhaustion.
He also left CRASH, although he still advocated
legal abortions.
He accepted the directorship of the obstetrics and
gynecology department at vJomen •s Hospital in New York.
It was the
18
four years he spent at this hospital that initiated his philosophical
shift on abortion.
Advancements in fetology and fetal development
aided by the electronic fetal heart monitoring apparatus, fetoscopes,
hysteroscopy and radio immunochemistry caused Dr. Nathanson to reevaluate 11 What v1as being killed in an abortion,. (Smith, 1985, p. 88).
In 1974, Dr. Nathanson wrote an article entitled ,.Deeper Into
Abortion which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine
11
(November 28, 1974).
In this article, he tried to explain his own
experience with CRASH and the abortion movement.
remarks,
11
Dr. Nathanson
my own mechanism of denial failed and I began to have very
serious doubts as to what we were doing here,. (Mehren & Cuniberti,
1985, p. 2).
Continuing in his private practice in New York City, Dr. Nathanson published Aborting America in 1979 (Doubleday), ,.making a major
step in aligning himself with the pro-life movement,. (Smith, 1985, p.
89).
Speaking engagements, seminars and another text, The Abortion
Papers (Frederick Fell Publishing, 1983) exploring the abortion
mentality followed.
As Dr. Nathanson began to become more of a pro-
life advocate, he continually emphasized that his stance was based
upon moral and medical considerations, not religious.
In fact, he is
an avowed atheist.
In 1984, Dr. Nathanson was able to obtain an ultrasound videotape of an elective suction abortion and realized how important it
could be as a visual aid for his lectures and speaking engagements.
It was also in 1984 that American Portrait Films persuaded him to use
the videotape as the basis of an important film, The Silent Scream.
19
Fi 1m Content
The Silent Scream begins with an explanation of ultrasound
techniques, the various stages of fetal development, and abortion
procedures followed by a real-time ultrasound film of a 12-week-old
fetus being aborted by the suction method.
The ultrasound technique
gives a graphic detailing of the suction abortion via high frequency
sound waves bouncing off the fetus to produce an image.
Dr. Nathanson narrates that "as the suction tip • . . moves
toward the child, the child will rear away from it and undergo much
more violent, much more agitated movements" (Smith, 1985, p. 22).
He adds, "For the first time, we are going to watch a child being
torn apart, dismembered, disarticulated, crushed and destroyed by the
unfeeling steel instruments of the abortionist" (Smith, 1985, p. 14).
As the abortionist seeks the child's body with the suction tip, Dr.
Nathanson says, " . . . we see the child's mouth wide open in a silent
scream . . . This is the silent scream of a child threatened imminently with extinction" (Smith, 1985, p. 24).
Arguments among the scientific community range from the accuracy
of the scientific data to the generalization that the fetus is
"silently screaming" in pain.
Dr. Hart Peterson, Acting Chairman of
Pediatric Neurology at New York Hospital at Cornell Medical Center
states, "The notion that a 12-week fetus screams in discomfort is
erroneous.
If you take out an earthworm and poke it with a stick, it
responds too" (Kleiman, 1985, p. 8).
Dr. Edwin C. Meyer, Chairman of the department of pediatric
neurology at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond says, "To
make a statement that the fetus feels pain is a totally ridiculous
20
statement.
Pain implies cognition.
the information
replies,
11
11
There is no brain to receive
(Kleiman, 1985, p. 8).
Pain is a reflex.
(Kleiman, 1985, p. 8).
In response, Dr. Nathanson
It is not an intellectual exercise
Regarding the muscular movement, leading
pediatric neurologists and neuroembryologists agree that the fetus
moves, but these movements are reflexive (Kleiman, 1985, p. 8).
Dr.
Pasko Rakic, Chainnan of Neuroanatomy at the Yale University School
of Medicine indicates that a fetus• nervous system lacks the synapses
that would pennit it to scream (Kleiman, 1985, p. 8).
Even though the abortion is depicted graphically, the prevailing
medical opinion among those who favor abortion is that the narration
is misleading regarding the issue of pain.
who do not discount the narration.
However, there are some
Ronan o•Rahilly, fetal develop-
ment specialist at the University of California at Davis says,
11
It•s
a rather highly emotional account, of course, but I would not want to
say it•s incorrect . . . I certainly think that the fetus could feel
some pain.
The nervous system is quite well developed by then ..
(Marcus, 1985, p. 9).
In general, these scientific arguments are so controversial a
consensus may never be reached.
In response to recent arguments gen-
erated by an editorial in the California Physician, February 1986
edition, Allen W. Matthies, Jr. MD explained,
11
The Silent Scream was
reviewed by several knowledgeable physicians who made every effort
to be objective.
It is to be expected that there will be controversy
on such an emotional issue 11 (p. 43).
Q
•
21
Reactions to the Film
"It is perhaps the most dramatic development in the abortion
issue since the Supreme Court decided abortions were legal •.• "
states the Baltimore Sun News Service (Smith, 1985, p. 37), and so
fitting is this generalization regarding the mixed reactions to the
film The Silent Scream.
The film received an enthusiastic endorsement from President
Ronald Reagan in January 1985, stating "This film pro vi des chi 11 i ng
documentation of the horror of abortion.
It•s been said that if
every member of Congress could see this film, they would move quickly
to end the tragedy of abortion and I pray that they wi 11" ( Cl endi nen,
1985, p. 15).
Videocassettes have been sent to every member of the
U.S. Congress and Supreme Court.
At a press conference for the film, Faith Ryan Whittlesey,
Assistant to President Reagan commented that the film, "is a powerful
testament for the pro-life position" and "it would forever alter the
terms of the debate on the abortion issue (Houston, 1985, p. 6).
Senator James R. Butcher, Republican from Indiana states,
I sincerely believe that if people view the film with open
minds, it cannot help but have a positive impact in their
attitude toward abortion. If they•re pro-abortion, they cannot
walk away without some serious second thoughts. If they•re
neutral, they would have to say This makes sense.~~ If we err,
let•s err on the side of life (Smith, 1985, p. 36).
11
Ron Fitzsimmons, lobbyist for NARAL comments,
moving.
I can see how it would affect people.
1
lt S
really quite
If we let it go with-
out rebutting it, it could possibly do some damage
p. 6).
11
11
(t~alone,
1985,
Judith Goldsmith, then president of the National Organization
for Women (NOW) in February 1985, protests the film by stating,
~
'
22
"There is a person when a fetus has been born.
I wi 11 give greater
rights to a living, breathing woman than a microscopic egg.
can feel pain.
A fetus cannot" (Malone, 1985, p. 6).
A woman
Nanette
Falkenburg, president of NARAL, says "The other side (pro-choice) is
now on the defensive.
I think we're in for some hard times" (Tanner,
1985, p. 1).
In 1985, public awareness and opinion on The Silent Scream were
assessed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
In this
study, it was found that 42% of the public had seen, heard or read
about the film with awareness rising to 60% of the public with some
college education or a bachelor's degree.
Fourteen percent of people
over 18 years of age stated they had seen this film, implying that 20
million Americans have seen The Silent Scream since its release.
Of those viewing the film, 45% said it made them more opposed to
abortion (6% of the general public); 48% stated it did not alter
their views, and 5% stated that the film made them more pro-abortion
(Harris, 1985, p. 59).
In February 1985, Dr. Allan Rosenfield, Chairman of the Board
of
Planned Parenthood Federation of America said The Silent Scream
is the most powerful thing the right-to-life movement has put
out to date. We need to come up with something that focuses
on the woman. That part of the story, from the perspective of
the woman, needs to get the same type of visibility The Silent
Scream has received (Marcus, 1985, p. 9).
In January 1986, Planned Parenthood premiered Personal Decisions,
re-focusing attention on the woman.
Likewise, Dr. Nathanson and
American Portrait Films plan a sequel to The Silent Scream entitled
Silent Scream II where a survivor of a late-term abortion tells her
story.
23
Use of Film in Health Education
Various studies have been completed on the use of film in education and specifically, health education.
A survey of the research
indicates that film is a very good medium to present information
(Mercer, 1981).
Audio-visual programs, especially those depicted on
television, can present information in a non-threatening manner due
to the viewer's familiarity with the medium (Cassileth, 1982), and
hence health education information can also be presented in a like
manner.
Audio-visual programs are available on many disease topics such
a cancer (Cassileth, 1982) and health-related issues such as breast
self-examination, birth control and mental health (Domino, 1983;
Herold, 1978, 1980; Monahan, 1975).
Herold (1978, 1980) found that for health education films to be
effective in changing attitudes, the topic must be related to issues
held by the audience.
Also, the narrator must be a credible source
and real circumstances, not fictional ones, must be portrayed.
In
his studies on responses to a birth control film, Herold (1980) found
that attitude reinforcement can often occur instead of attitude
change.
Monahan (1975) found in her studies on teaching breast selfexamination to university women, that knowledge and skills achieved
are equal regardless if the subject viewed a film or listened to a
lecture followed by practice on a model.
Cassileth (1982) indicates that audio-visual cancer programs
increased knowledge and reduced anxiety for patients and their families.
In more general terms, Pflieger (1959) found that in health
24
education courses, there is no significant difference in achievement
scores between viewing a film and face-to-face instruction using a
pre-post test design.
The use of film has demonstrated to be an effective teaching
methodology in health education; however, more extensive work needs
to be completed to understand how people learn from film (Mercer,
1981).
Although the cost of making a film is substantial, it ensures
that information is uniformly presented and becomes more costeffective as it is repeated.
Limitations
Probable limitations foreseen for this study include:
1.
ing.
The students may have previously seen the film prior to test-
This may affect the pre-test scoring on knowlege and attitude.
2.
The students' knowledge and attitude may be affected by the
great amount of publicity surrounding the film prior to their viewing
it.
3.
The appropriateness of items chosen to be on the question-
naire and their validity may not be indicative of knowledge and
attitude.
4.
The researcher is six months pregnant while completing the
student testing.
It is assumed that the presence of a pregnant woman
will not affect a change in knowledge or attitude among the subjects.
5.
Students from the first school tested may discuss the
research with students attending the later schools tested; however,
the students will be asked not to discuss what occurred during the
research testing procedure until a given date.
CHAPTER 2
METHODOLOGY
Procedure
Personnel at three Orange County college campuses, a public
junior college, a public university, and a private Christian college,
were contacted in January 1986 regarding a possible showing of the
film The Silent Scream.
Each school agreed to allow the researcher
to show the film to certain health-related classes.
Dates were
scheduled for the month of April 1986.
The junior college stated it had approximately 30 students in a
general health education course available for the study.
Likewise,
the private Christian college indicated 20 students enrolled in an
upper division physical education theory class could participate.
The university stated that 35 students who were peer health counselors at the student health center would be able to participate.
The personnel at each school were asked not to mention the
specifics of the research study to the students.
Instead, the stu-
dents were told that a guest speaker would be attending class.
On the day of testing, the researcher was introduced by the
personnel at each respective school.
The researcher then gave the
following instructions to each individual student group.
Good morning. As your instructor stated, my name is Jackie
Changala, and I am a graduate student at California State
University, Northridge. I am here today to conduct some
research for my thesis.
25
26
I'd like to thank you now for your time and cooperation.
I'd like to begin the testing procedure and ask that you refrain
from speaking to any of your fellow classmates until the testing
procedure is over as I shall indicate.
I am going to distribute two sets of papers and a #2 pencil to
each of you. One set of papers will be facing up, and one will
be facing down. Please do not turn over the set of papers
facing down.
Now, please look at the set of papers facing up. You will find
a survey and an answer sheet. Please do not write on the survey.
Please do not write your name on the answer sheet.
Read the instructions on the survey carefully and answer
accordingly on your answer sheet with the #2 pencil beginning
with Space #1. All of your answers wi 11 be given anonymously.
Now I am going to collect the survey and answer sheet.
to remind you not to speak to your neighbor.
I'd like
Now I would like all of you to view this film.
At this time, the film The Silent Scream was shown to the students.
Then the researcher continued with the following instructions:
Now, please turn over the remaining set of papers in front of
you. Again, please do not write on the survey nor put your name
on the answer sheet. Read the directions on the survey and
answer accordingly on your answer sheet with the #2 pencil
beginning with Space #1.
Now I am going to collect the survey, answer sheet and #2
pencils.
The testing procedure is now complete.
After the testing, the instructors at the three schools led a
discussion on the film.
Each pre- and post-test answer sheet was marked with the following identification:
Junior College
Pre-test
Post-test
JC
JC
PR-#
PO-#
27
Private Christian College
Pre-test
Post-test
PCC
PCC
PR-#
PO-#
Univ.
Univ.
PR-#
PO-#
University
Pre-test
Post-test
where#
= 1, 2, 3, etc. for student identification.
The actual number of students tested was much lower due to
attrition during the semester.
The actual count was:
1)
Junior college
- 18 students
2)
Private Christian College
3)
University
10 students
- 23 students
totaling 51 students actually tested.
Demographic information on the students is indicated in Table 1
for each specific school and for the total combined population of 51
students.
Instrument
The pre- and post-test questionnaires used in this study were
identical except for various demographic items asked for on either
the pre- or post-test and for the addition of one phrase prefacing
two post-test knowledge items.
This will be discussed further in
more detail.
The knowledge section of the questionnaire consisted of 11 items.
Seven were of a true or false nature while four were of multiplechoice construction.
Two of the multiple-choice items on the post-
test were prefaced by "According to the film The Silent Scream,."
This statement was not on the pre-test as the researcher did not want
Q
•
Table 1
Subjects - Demographic Information
Junior
College
N == 18
Sex
Male
Female
Age
-17-18 years
19-20 years
21-22 years
23 years & older
Religion
Catholic
Protestant
Non-denominational Christian
Other
5
13
6
8
3
1
6
2
8
2
PrivateChristian College
N == 10
----------
University
N == 23
All Schools
Combined
N == 51
4
13
10
24
27
0
2
2
6
1
8
14
0
7
18
19
7
0
0
4
5
4
10
10
7
20
2
37
14
6
8
2
Ethnicity
White
Non-white
13
10
0
14
5
Country of Birth
USA
Other
16
2
8
2
16
7
Note:
9
40
11
Variations in category names between questionnaire and table are apparent as some questionnaire
categories contained an insignificant number of subjects to permit statistical analysis.
N
00
29
film.
The knowledge items were based upon factual information pre-
sented in the film.
The attitude section was comprised of 14 items placed on a 5point Likert scale.
Six of the questions were similar to ones used
by the National Opinion Research Center from 1972-84, the Gallup
polls of 1968-77, and the National Fertility Studies to assess public
opinion on abortion.
of abortion and women
film.
The other eight items dealt with the morality
1
S
rights, and specific issues discussed in the
The attitude responses were then placed on a pro-choice/pro-
life scale.
Demographic information was asked for on both questionnaires.
The pre-test asked for age, sex, marital status, ethnicity and country of birth, while the post-test asked for religion.
After the data
was collected, several response categories were collapsed to broader
ones due to little or no responses on specific items.
Age was col-
lapsed to four categories, combining the last two age groups, and
ethnicity was generalized to white/non-white.
Marital status was not
statistically analyzed as there were 49 single students and only 2
married students, and religion was collapsed to four categories.
Don Tanner, Director of Distribution at American Portrait Films,
producer of The Silent Scream, approved the questionnaire items as
being representative of the film
1
S
intent.
Also, the questionnaire
was pre-tested by student groups similar to the subjects scheduled
for the actual testing.
The questionnaire and correct answers as presented in The Silent
Scream are presented in the Appendix.
30
The Research Design
The research design is as follows:
X
llk 1 and lla1
X
llk 2 and lla 2
X
llk3 and lla3
= junior college students
R2 = private Christian college students
R3 = university students
X = The Silent Scream
01-6 = observations
where R1
ll
kl -3
= mean change in knowledge
ll
al-3
= mean change in attitude
Statistical Analysis
The statistical analysis for this study was completed by using
the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Statistical
significance was determined by the student t-test and analysis of
variance where the level of significance was E < .05.
Chapter 3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of this study are first presented in reference to
each null hypothesis followed by more specific analysis and discussion of demographic factors and individual knowledge and attitude
items.
Null Hypothesis 1
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) attitude
regarding the unborn child and abortion among junior college
students before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
In analyzing the junior college student group, the above hypothesis
is rejected.
The students scored a mean difference of +2.1 out of 11
knowledge questions on the post-test (E < .05).
Similarly, attitudes
became more pro-life resulting in a mean difference of +5.6 on the
5-point Likert scale (E < .05) (see Tables 2 and 3).
Null Hypothesis 2
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) attitude
regarding the unborn child and abortion among private Christian
college students before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
Part (a) of the above hypothesis is not rejected as the analysis of
the private Christian college students reveals that the mean difference in knowledge of +1.2 out of 11 items is not significant
(E < .05).
However, part (b) is rejected as the mean difference in
attitude of +3.7 is significant (E < .05), resulting in the group
becoming more pro-life (see Tables 2 and 3).
31
Table 2
Knowledge Scores by School
School
N
Pre-Test Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
Post-Test Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
Difference in Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
t-val ue
Junior
College
18
8.0
0.5
10.1
0.2
2.1
0.5
4.1
Private
Christian
Call ege
10
8.7
0.6
9.9
0.3
1.2
0.7
1.7
University
23
8.3
0.4
10.3
0.2
2.0
0.4
5.0
All three
schools
combined
51
8.3
0.3
10.2
0.1
1.9
0.3
6.5
w
N
Table 3
Attitude Scores by School
School
N
Pre-Test Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
Post-Test Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
Difference in Scores
Mean
Standard
Error
t-value
Junior
Co11 ege
18
40.7
2.9
46.2
3.2
5.6
1.3
4.2
Private
Christi an
College
10
52.0
3.7
55.7
3.4
3.7
1.5
2.4
University
23
36.5
2.7
40.0
2.8
3.4
1.0
3.5
All three
schools
combined
51
41.1
1.9
45.4
2.0
4.2
0.7
6.0
w
w
34
Null Hypothesis 3
There is no difference in the mean a) knowledge and b) attitude
regarding the unborn child and abortion among university students
before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
An analysis of the university student group indicates that the above
hypothesis is rejected.
The mean difference in knowledge of +2.0 out
of 11 items is significant
in attitude of +3.4
(~
(~
< .05).
< .05) as well as the mean difference
This group also became more pro-life
(see Tables 2 and 3).
Null Hypotheses 4, 5, 6
4)
There is no difference in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion
among junior college and university students before and
after viewing The Silent Scream.
5)
There is no difference in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion
among university and private Christian college students
before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
6)
There is no differ~nce in the mean change of a) knowledge
and b) attitude regarding the unborn child and abortion
among junior college and private Christian college students
before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
Analysis of variance between the three student groups, as indicated
in Table 4, reveals that there is no significant difference between
any matched pairs of schools on knowledge (F ratio= 0.7 where
~
< .05) or beliefs (F ratio= 1.1
where~<
.05).
Therefore, the
above three null hypotheses are accepted.
Therefore, The Silent Scream significantly influenced two
schools, the public junior college and university, in increasing
knowledge regarding the unborn child and abortion.
The private
Christian school did not show a statistically significant mean
difference in knowledge; however, there was a slight increase.
35
Table 4
Analysis of Variance Between Schools
on Knowledge and Attitude
F Ratio
Knowledge
Pre-test
0.4
Post-test
0.6
Difference in post-test minus pre-test scores
0.7
Attitude
Pre-test
5.4
Post-test
5.2
Difference in post-test minus pre-test scores
1.1
36
It is interesting to note that this school had the highest pre-test
knowledge score and the lowest post-test knowledge score; however,
analysis of variance indicates that there was no significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores between the three
schools on knowledge.
Also, analysis of variance indicates that
there was not a statistically significant difference between the
three schools on knowledge gained.
In contrast to knowledge, The Silent Scream seemed to have
influenced the students at all three schools to become more pro-life.
Analysis of variance also indicated there was no significant difference between the three schools in the amount of change occurring
before and after viewing the film.
However, the schools were not
comparable when pre-test (baseline) attitude scores were considered.
These findings are similar to the ones published by The Planned
Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. in 1985 in that both study
groups became more pro-life.
Their findings state that of those
viewing the film, 45% became more pro-life, 48% did not change their
views, and 5% became more in favor of abortion (Harris, 1985, p. 9).
Demographic Factors
Age did not have a significant effect on pre-test scores on
knowledge or attitude; however, this is not surprising since 86% of
the respondents fell into the 17-22 year old category, and the design
of this study did not permit a thorough analysis of how age affects
knowledge and attitude regarding abortion as past studies on public
opinion have demonstrated (Legge, 1983).
Also, age did not affect
37
the mean difference in knowledge or attitude before and after viewing
The Silent Scream.
Similarly, sex did not affect the pre-test scores for knowledge
or attitude as indicated by Legge (1983) and Sackett (1985b).
Like-
wise, sex did not affect the mean difference in knowledge and attitude caused by viewing the film among the students.
In contrast to studies on race by the NORC (Legge, 1983), this
study found no significant difference between whites and non-whites
on pre-test scores of attitude.
Also, there was no significant dif-
ference in pre-test knowledge scores of white and non-whites, nor did
race affect the mean difference in knowledge and beliefs of students
before and after viewing The Silent Scream.
Country of birth did not significantly affect the pre-test
scores of knowledge and attitude, or the mean difference in knowledge
and attitude of students before and after the health education intervention.
Marital status was not analyzed as a factor in determining
knowledge and attitude as 96% of the students were single, and only
4% were married.
Religion did not significantly affect the pre-test scores on
attitude.
Past studies (Legge, 1983; Sackett, 1985b) have shown that
one•s perceived
11
importance of religion contributes to less support
11
for abortion; however, this thesis study did not collect data relating
to
11
importance,
11
but rather the students were asked to select a reli-
gious category that best described themselves.
Similar to research completed by Sackett (1985b), there was also
no significant difference between Catholics and Protestants.
In addi-
38
tion, there was no significant difference between pre-test scores on
knowledge by religion or the mean differences in knowledge and attitude among students before and after viewing the film.
Knowledge Item Analysis
There was no significant difference on any one knowledge item
either on the pre- or post-test by school.
Table 5 indicates the percentage of students that correctly
answered each knowledge item on the pre- and post-test questionnaires.
Table 5
Knowledge Item Analysis
Item
Pre-test % of Students
Answering Correctly
68.6
84.3
64.7
84.3
78.4
62.7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
90.2
8
9
10
11
78.4
86.0
82.0
54.0
Post-test % of Students
Answering Correctly
98.0
80.0
92.2
90.2
98.0
84.0
100.0
90.2
98.0
90.2
100.0
Item 1, which dealt with fetal development, and Item 3, which
stated that advances in science indicate that the unborn child is a
distinct human being had the second and third highest gains in knowledge on the post-test.
This indicates that the film achieved its goal
of communicating to the viewer that an aborted fetus is not always a
microscopic egg as is often quoted by pro-abortionists (Maline, 1985).
39
It is interesting to note that a higher percentage of students
correctly answered Item 2 on the pre-test which tests the students on
the definition of fetology than on the post-test.
This may have
occurred due to the film's manner of presentation of the definition.
A large majority of students knew that Roe v. Wade legali2ed
abortion on demand; however, this does not indicate if the students
knew the specifics of the law (i.e., when it is legal in a pregnancy
to abort the fetus).
It would have been interesting to test this,
but unfortunately the film did not address this issue, and instead
speaks only of the law in general and portrays a 12-week-old fetus
being aborted.
On the pre-test, 78.6% of the students were aware that the
abortion industry qualifies to be on the Fortune 500 list of largest
industries in the world, rising to 98% of the students answering this
item correctly on the post-test.
Item 6 stating "the unborn child is not aware of the abortion
procedure as it occurs" had the second lowest percentage of correct
answers on the pre-test with 62.7%; however, 84% answered "true" on
the post-test.
Items 7 and 11 questioned the students on the suction method
procedure of abortion.
It is interesting to note that 6% of the
students thought that pain medication was administered to the fetus
prior to an abortion.
A majority, however, realized prior to view-
ing the film that the fetus is not always removed in one piece.
As indicated by Item 8, most of the students understood ultrasound techniques prior to viewing the film.
(1
•
40
Item 9 indicates some surprising results.
Prior to viewing the
film, 86% of the students believed that women have not been educated
about abortion procedures, and 82% felt that both the mother and the
unborn child are the victims in an abortion, both in agreement with
the film's intent.
Post-test scores were, accordingly, just slightly
higher.
Attitude Item Analysis
In general, the students' attitude became more pro-life as all
the attitude item scores became more pro-life after viewing The Silent
Scream as depicted in Table 6.
An (*) indicates those items that had
statistically significant mean differences.
Table 7 shows the percentage of students who either agreed or
strongly agreed (category= "agree
11
),
held no opinion; or either dis-
agreed or strongly disagreed (category=
11
disagree") with the item
before and after viewing the film.
Item 12 which reads, "Abortion should remain legal in cases
where the mother's health is in danger" received an increase in prolife sentiment; however, it was not statistically significant.
The
percentage of students that agreed with this statement was 90.2% on
the pre-test and 84.4% on the post-test.
In prior studies on public
opinion regarding abortion by the National Opinion Research Center
(NORC), this item has always received 79-92% approval (Sackett,
1985b).
The pre- and post-test scores for Item 13, "Abortion should
remain legal in cases where the family does not have enough money to
support another child," indicate a significant shift to the pro-life
(l
•
Table 6
Attitude
lte~
Anallsls - Likert Scale Scores
Difference
Move to
Meen Score
In Hun Standerd Pro-life
Pre-te5t---ro5t-li5t Scores
Error
Sentl~~ent
t-velue
I+ or -1
I tel
12. Abortion should r~eln legel In cases where the MOther's
health Is In danger.
1.5
1.7
0.2
0.8
+
1.4
13. Abortion should r~aln legal In cases where the faMily
does not have enough •oney to support another child.
3.1
3.5
0.4
0.1
+
3.1*
14. Abortion Is •urder.
3.2
3.6
0.4
0.1
+
2.8*
15. A ~n should be able to have an abortion If there Is
a strong chance of serious defect to the baby.
2.3
2.5
0.2
0.1
+
1.7
16. A ~n
fate of her unborn child.
2.6
2.8
0.2
0.1
+
1.5
17. A ~n should be able to have an abortion If she bec.-e
pregnant as a result of rape or Incest.
1.7
2.3
0.5
0.1
+
5.0*
18. New technological advances In the study of the unborn
child Indicate that the United States Supreae Court should
re-eKIMine the Issue of legalized abortion on demand.
3.4
3.6
0.2
0.1
+
2.7
}g. A WDM~n should be allowed to have an abortion If she Is
not •arrled and does not want to .. rry the father of the
unborn child.
3.1
3.4
0.3
0.1
+
3.5*
20. Abortion Is not an appropriate answer to unwanted
pregnancies.
3.8
4.0
0.2
0.1
+
1.7
21. A wa.an should be able to have an abortion If she Is
.. rrled and does not want to have any •ore children.
3.3
3.5
0.2
0.2
+
1.3*
should have the sole right to
•
dete~lne
the
22. The unborn child and MOther have equal rights to life.
3.3
3.6
0.3
0.1
+
2.5
23. The unborn child Is capable of feeling pain.
3.7
3.g
0.2
o.z
+
1.5
24. The Issue of a wa.an's right to choose and to have an abortion
Is •ore l•portant than the "1.-orallty/.arallty• of abortion. 2.8
3.1
0.3
0.1
+
1.8
25. Any wa.an considering an abortion should view the filM
entitled The Silent Screa• prior to consenting to having
an abortion.
3.5
0.5
0.1
+
5.o•
3.0
• significant t-values
Note: Pre-test and post-test •ean scores range frOM 1-5 where: 5 • strongly agree with pro-life sentl•ent; 4 • agree with
pro-life sentl.ent; 3 • no opinion; 2 • disagree with pro-life sentl~~~ent; 1 • strongly disagree with pro-life sentl.ent·.
~
.......
Table 7
Attitude lte111 Analysis- Percent of Students Agreeing,
Holding No Opinion, Disagre~i_n~~ecH_lc-Attitu_de lte111s
12. Abortion should renain legal in cases where the
mother's health is in danger.
13. Abortion should remain legal In cases where the family
does not have enough money to support another child.
14. Abortion Is murder.
15. A woman should be able to have an abortion if there
Is a strong chance of serious defect to the baby.
16. A woman should have the sole right to determine
the fate of her unborn child.
17. A woman should be able to have an abortion If she
became pregnant as a result of rape or Incest.
18. New technological advances In the study of the unborn
child indicate that the US Supreme Court should
re-e~amlne the Issue of legalized abortion on demand.
1g. A woman should be allowed to have an abortion If
she Is not married and does not want to marry the
father of the unborn child.
~~derrts
I of Students
Pre-test
Post-test
90.2
7.8
.2
84.4
7.8
7.8
Z7 .4
15.7
56.8
54. 9
17.6
27.4
56.8
23.5
19.6
43.1
19.6
37.3
Agree
No Opinion
Disagree
Agree-----~~
No Opinion 17.6
Disagree
47.1
J.gree- ----sr.o
No Opinion
9.8
Disagree
39.2
7\gr-ee64.8
No Opinion 13.7
Disagree
21.6.
7\gree
55.0
No Opinion
9.8
Disagree
35.3
J.gree- --12.s--~--~
No Opinion 23.5
27.5
Disagree
3.9
15.6
Agree ----~9.()--~-~----w.lJ
No Opinion 27.5
17.6
Disagree
23.5
21.6
Agree- -~-II"J.l
27."5
No Opinion
9.8
19.6
Disagree
47.1
52.9
Agree-- - -60.7-No Opinion 15.7
15.7
Disagree
23.5
13.7
~~e
33.3
29.4
No Opinion 15.7
13.7
51.0
56.9
Disagree
~ree
48.0
64.0
No Opinion 20.0
12.0
Disagree
32.0
24.0
-~~-m.o
20. Abortion Is not an appropriate answer to unwanted
pregnancies.
21. A woman should be able to have an abortion If she
Is married and does not want to have any more children.
22. The unborn child and mother have equal rights to 11fe.
~ree-~-----w.o
23. The unborn child 1s capable of feeling pain.
24. The Issue of a woman's right to choose and to have
an abortion is more Important than the "immorality/
morality" of abortion.
25. Any won~n considering an abortion should view the film
entitled The Silent Scream prior to consenting to
__h_a_~ an---abortion.
28.0
12.0
12 .o
No Opinion
Disagree
Agree - No Opinion
Disagree
n.2-19.6
37.3
27.5
39.2
No Opinion
Disagree
39.2
29.4
11.8
29.4
J;gYee----.n.-.4
12.0
16.0
------n~
58."&
..j:::o,
N
43
sentiment.
On the pre-test, 35.2% of the students agreed with the
statement compared with 27.4% on the post-test.
In contrast, the
NORC found that in 1984, 54% of the general public agreed with this
statement (Sackett, 1985b).
The statement "Abortion is murder" in Item 14 also received
scores that reflect a statistically significant shift to the pro-life
stance on the Likert scale.
Attitudes toward Item 15, "A woman should be able to have an
abortion if there is a strong chance of serious defect to the baby,"
did not significantly change after the intervention; however, there
was a slight increase to the pro-life sentiment.
The NORC states
that this item has always had at least 79% approval from the general
public (Sackett, 1985b).
This research study shows that 64.8% of the
students agreed on the pre-test, decreasing to 56.8% on the post-test.
"A woman should have the sole right to detennine the fate of
her unborn child" on Item 16 showed a shift to the pro-life stance
although it was not statistically significant.
Scores on Item 17, "A woman should be able to have an abortion
if she becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest," had the
highest mean difference on the Likert scale, resulting in the largest
shift to the pro-life stance.
Similarly, 72.5% of the students
agreed with the statement on the post-test.
The NORC reports that
this item has always received at least 79% of the general public's
approval (Sackett, 1985b).
There was a significant shift to the pro-life sentiment regarding Item 18, "New technological advances in the study of the unborn
child indicate that the United States Supreme Court should re-examine
44
the issue of legalized abortion on demand."
On the pre-test, 49% of
the students agreed, increasing to 60.8% on the post-test.
Also, the
Newsweek poll of January 1985 ("America•s Abortion Dilemma, 1985)
states that 33% of its respondents felt restrictions should be placed
in the law due to modern medicine•s ability to keep the fetus alive.
This is an important gain as this item reflects the ultimate goal of
the pro-life movement to re-examine the law on abortion and eventually
to repeal it.
The NORC reports that in 1984, 56% of the general public agreed
with Item 19, "A woman should be allowed to have an abortion if she
is not married and does not want to marry the father of the unborn
child" (Sackett, 1985b).
This study showed a significant mean
difference on the Likert scale before and after viewing the film,
resulting in a shift to the pro-life sentiment.
Also, 43.1% of the
students agreed with the statement on the pre-test, decreasing to
27.5% on the post-test.
The scores on Item 20, "Abortion is not an appropriate answer to
unwanted pregnancies," showed a shift, although statistically insignificant, to the pro-life stance.
Similarly, the scores on Item 21, "A woman should be able to
have an abortion if she is married and does not want to have any more
children" did not show a statistically significant shift.
The NORC
states that in 1984, 56% of the general public agreed with this item;
however, this thesis research shows that 33.3% of the students agreed
on the pre-test with 29.4% on the post-test.
Item 22, "The unborn child and mother have equal rights to life,"
scores showed a statistically significant pro-life shift on the Likert
45
scale.
Also, on the pre-test, 48% agreed with the item, increasing
to 64% on the post-test.
"The unborn child is capable of feeling pain" stated in Item 23
had scores that showed a pro-life shift although it was not statistically significant.
On the pre-test, 60% of the students agreed
with this item, increasing to 72% on the post-test.
Item 24, "The issue of a woman's right to choose and to have an
abortion is more important than the 'immorality /morality' of abortion"
scores again showed a pro-life shift, although it was statistically
insignificant.
Finally, scores on Item 25, "Any woman considering an abortion
should view the film entitled The Silent Scream prior to consenting
to having an abortion" showed a significant pro-life shift on the
Likert scale.
Also, on the pre-test, 31.4% of the students agreed,
39.2% had no opinion and 29.4% disagreed, while on the post-test,
58.5% agreed, 11.8% had no opinion and 27.4% disagreed.
Hence, it
appears that the increase in those agreeing came from the group that
had no opinion prior to the film as the number of students disagreeing
prior to the film remained the same after viewing the film.
School Attendance and Demographic
Factors Affecting Attitude
There were no significant differences between schools on the
mean difference caused by viewing the film on any attitude item
except for Items 17 and 23 (see Table 8).
Item 17 reads, "A woman should be able to have an abortion if
she became pregnant as a result of rape or incest."
Although the
attitude scores for all three schools became more pro-life, the
46
0
university student group showed the least amount of change and the
private Christian college group showed the greatest change(£< .05).
Also, there was a significant difference in mean differences by
school on Item 23, "The unborn child is capable of feeling pain ...
The private Christian college student group showed no mean difference
while the university student group became more negative in disagreeing
more with the item on the post-test.
The junior college student group
showed the highest mean difference before and after viewing the film.
The only demographic factors that affected the mean difference
before and after viewing the film were ethnicity on Item 24 and
country of birth on Item 25 (see Table 8).
Non-whites became more pro-life on Item 24 which reads, "The
issue of a woman's right to choose and to have an abortion is more
important than the •immorality /mora 1 i ty • of abortion"
The non-whites
became more opposed to the item as it reads than did whites.
Also, students whose country of birth is not the United States
agreed more than students born in the U.S. with Item 25, "Any woman
considering an abortion should view the film entitled The Silent
Scream prior to consenting to having an abortion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the two public colleges, the junior college and
the university, significantly gained knowledge after viewing The
Silent Scream.
All three schools, including the private Christian
college, changed their attitude, becoming more pro-life as measured
by a 5-point Likert scale before and after viewing the film.
Hence,
•
Table 8
School and Demographic Factors Affecting Specific Attitude Items
Item
Mean
Difference
Standard
Error
StatTSti cal
Significance
Used
17. A woman should be able to
have an abortion if she
became pregnant as a
result of rape or incest.
School
Junior college
Private Christian college
University
0.7
0.9
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.1
F ratio
= 3.2
23. The unborn child is capable
of feeling pain.
School
Junior call ege
Private Christian college
University
0.8
0.0
-0.1
0.2
0.3
0.3
F ratio
= 3.5
0.03
0.9
0.1
0.3
t value
= 2.8
0.4
0.2
0.3
t value
= 2.2
24. The issue of a woman's right Ethnicity
White
to choose and to have an
abortion is more important
Non-white
than the 11 11 immorality/
morality of abortion.
25. Any woman considering an
abortion should view the
film entitled The Silent
Scream prior to consent1ng
to having an abortion.
Country of Birth
USA
Non-USA
1.1
+::>
-.....,J
48
the first and third null hypotheses and part (b) of the second null
hypothesis are rejected.
There was also no significant difference between any set of
matched pairs of schools in the mean difference of knowledge or
attitude scores before and after the health education intervention.
Hence null hypotheses 4, 5 and 6 are accepted.
Knowledge baseline
scores did not significantly differ between schools; however, attitude baseline scores did.
Similar to school attendance, various demographic factors did
not significantly affect the results.
Age, sex, country of birth and
ethnicity did not influence the knowledge and attitude baseline scores
prior to viewing the film nor the mean changes after viewing the film.
Religion also, surprisingly, did not significantly affect the
baseline or mean difference scores on knowledge and attitude.
These
results agree with the work of past studies on predictors of public
opinion of abortion (Blake, 1971; Combs & Welch, 1982; Ebaugh &
Haney, 1980; Legge, 1983; Tedrow & Mahoney, 1979).
In addition, there were no significant differences in baseline
or mean changes among schools on specific knowledge items.
The
greatest mean differences occurred on those items concerning fetal
development and the premise that the unborn child is a separate human
being from the mother.
In general, the students had prior knowledge
of the information and data presented in the film as the mean pretest (baseline) score of the three schools combined was +8.3 out of
11 items.
Significant changes occurred on specific attitude items resulting
in less support for abortion in cases of rape, incest and financial
49
difficulties, and in cases where the mother is not married and does
not want to marry the father of the unborn child.
Also, the attitude
scores on the Likert scale before and after the students viewed the
film showed that the students agreed more with the statement "Abortion
is murder .. after viewing the film.
Similarly, after viewing the film,
the students became more in agreement with the statement reading that
advances in medical technology indicate that the United States Supreme
Court re-examine the current law on legalized abortion on demand.
Most importantly, the highest mean difference in the shift to the
pro-life stance occurred on the item "Any woman considering an abortion should view the film entitled The Silent Scream prior to consenting to having an abortion ...
Hence the students became more
supportive of the film's content as an important factor to consider
in the decision to have an abortion.
It is also important to note that one of the college instructors
who permitted his students to participate in this research commented
that he had previously allowed pro-life speakers to give a short presentation that included The Silent Scream to his classes as he felt
it was important for his students to see both sides of the issue.
However, he did not respect nor admire the pro-life speaker's introduction to the film as he closed with "Remember, abortion is murder ...
The students, the instructor felt, became defensive and were not
willing to view the film with an open mind.
In contrast, he felt
that presenting the film in an objective fashion as was done in this
study with no biased introduction created a more conducive atmosphere for the film viewing and intent.
In the future, pro-life
educators may want to curtail their zeal and emotional speeches to
50
reach more people with what appears to be a beneficial education tool
such as The Silent Scream.
Although this study only tested the film The Silent Scream on
college students and not a target group representative of the general
public, there is strong indication, along with the study completed by
Louis Harris and Associates for The Planned Parenthood Federation of
America, Inc. (1985), that the film is causing people to gain knowledge and analyze their attitudes toward the unborn child and abortion
resulting in more support for the pro-life cause.
Replications of
this study, along with those utilizing other methodological procedures, are needed for further confirmation.
Although substantial
medical controversy exists regarding The Silent Scream, it is difficult to deny that the film has been an effective health education
tool for the pro-life cause among this study group.
However, the
continued success of the film at large depends upon medical science's
ability to either validate or refute the film's content and the willingness of the American people to listen.
Summary
The Silent Scream was produced by American Portrait Films to
educate the general public on the viability of the unborn child and
to change its opinion on the morality of legalized abortion on demand
to contribute to the repeal of the Roe v. Wade decision.
The film
presents various stages of fetal development, and abortion procedures
followed by a real-time ultrasound of a 12-week-old fetus being
aborted by the suction method.
51
This study was designed to determine if the viewing of the film
affected a change in knowledge and attitude toward the unborn child
and abortion among three college student populations.
Fifty-one students participated in the research:
18 public
junior college students, 10 private Christian college students and 23
public university students.
Prior to the test date, the students had
been instructed that a guest speaker would be attending class.
At the beginning of the testing period, the students completed a
pre-test questionnaire which consisted of 11 knowledge items based
upon factual information presented in the film and 14 attitude items
placed on a 5-point Likert scale.
The attitude items were similar to
questions used by the National Opinion Research Center from 1972-84,
the Gallup polls of 1968-77, and the National Fertility Studies to
assess public opinion on abortion.
a pro-choice/pro-life scale.
The attitude items were placed on
The students viewed The Silent Scream
and then completed a post-test questionnaire similar to the pre-test.
Demographic information collected on the questionnaires included age,
sex, ethnicity, marital status, country of birth and religion.
The
questionnaire was reviewed by American Portrait Films to ensure that
the questionnaire items were representative of the film's intent.
The questionnaire was also pre-tested by student groups similar to
the subjects who participated in the research.
The statistical analysis for the study was completed by using
the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Statistical
significance was determined by the student t-test and analysis of
variance at the level of
significance~<
.05.
52
The two public schools, the junior college and the university,
significantly gained knowledge regarding the unborn child and abortion after viewing The Silent Scream.
The mean differences in
knowledge scores were +2.1 and +2.0 respectively.
The private
Christian college students gained +1.2 in knowledge; however, this
was not statistically significant.
Analysis of variance indicates
that there were no significant differences between the three schools
on pre-test (baseline) or post-test scores, nor on knowledge gained
(F ratio= 0.7).
In contrast to knowledge, the film affected a change in attitude
in all three schools as the three student populations became more
pro-life.
The junior college had the largest mean difference on the
attitude scale, followed by the private Christian college and the
university.
There was no significant difference between the three
schools in the amount of change or shift to the pro-life stance
(F ratio = 1.1); however, there were significant differences in the
pre-test (baseline) and post-test attitude scores between the schools.
These findings are similar to those of Louis Harris and Associates (1985) for The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.
in that both study groups became more pro-life.
This research study found that the demographic factors of age,
sex, ethnicity and country of birth did not affect the pre-test (baseline) or mean difference knowledge and attitude scores after viewing
the film.
Religion also did not affect the baseline or mean differ-
ence scores in knowledge and attitude similar to the findings of past
studies (Blake, 1971; Combs &Welch, 1982; Ebaugh & Haney, 1980;
Legge, 1983; Tedrow &Mahoney, 1979).
53
There were no significant differences in baseline or mean difference scores among the three schools on specific knowledge items.
The
greatest mean differences occurred on the items concerning fetal
development and the premise that the unborn child is a separate human
being.
Significant changes occurred on specific attitude items resulting
in less support for abortion in cases of rape, incest and financial
difficulties, and when the mother is not married and does not want to
marry the father of the unborn child.
After viewing The Silent
Scream, the students agreed more with the statement, "Abortion is
murder."
They were also in more agreement that advances in medical
technology should dictate the United States Supreme Court to reexamine the Roe v. Wade decision.
The students also became more
supportive of the statement, "Any woman considering an abortion should
view the film entitled The Silent Scream prior to consenting to having
an abortion."
The results of this study indicate that The Silent Scream was an
effective health education intervention among these three college
populations.
The students gained knowledge regarding and changed
their attitude towards the unborn child and abortion.
Replications
of this study and those involving different methodological procedures
are needed to assess the impact of the film on other target groups.
The continued success of the film among the general public depends
upon the medical validation of the film•s content and the fluctuation
of public opinion.
Q
•
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Journal of The American Medical Association, 246(7), 772-73.
Harris, L. & Associates Inc.
(1985).
Public attitudes about sex
education, family planning, and abortion in the United States
(Study No. 854005).
Herold, E. S.
New York:
(1978, May).
Author.
The production and use of an attitudinal
film in birth control education.
The Journal of School Health,
307-310.
Herold, E. S., & Thomas, R. E.
(1980, February).
and responses to a birth control film.
Sexual experience
The Journal of School
Health, 66-68.
Houston, P.
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Hume, E.
(1985, February 13).
White House showcases abortion
Los Angeles Times, Section I, p. 6.
(1985, April 15).
Anti-abortionists gain as the furor
spreads and uneasiness grows.
The Wall Street Journal, Part
1, p. 1.
Jones, E. F.
(1985).
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Family Planning Perspec-
tives, .!2_, 53.
Kleiman, D.
(1985, January 25).
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Legge, J. S. Jr.
Debate on abortion focuses on
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(1983).
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~.
478-90.
Western Political Quarterly,
56
Malone, J.
(1985).
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Marcus, R.
Christian Science Monitor,
(1985, February 9).
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IL,
6.
Loud impact.
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The Silent Scream film.
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(1985, August 8).
He's the force behind
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Champaign, IL: Stipes
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(1975).
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(1979).
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A private choice:
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(1967).
Abortion in America in the
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(1985b).
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Split verdict:
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APPENDIX
Student Survey
Survey Answer Key
58
59
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
Graduate Research
Student Survey
Please read each item on this survey carefully and answer it.
the directions at the beginning of each section.
Follow
Part I
For the following questions, please indicate if the statements are
True or False by marking A for True orB for False on your answer
sheet.
1.
At twelve weeks, the unborn child in the uterus is fully formed
and has a heart rate.
2.
Fetology is the study of women who have had abortions.
3.
New technological advances in medicine indicate that the unborn
child is a distinct human being separate from the mother.
4.
The Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 legalized abortions on demand
in the United States.
5.
The abortion industry qualifies to be on the Fortune 500 list of
largest industries in the world.
6.
The unborn child is not aware of the abortion procedure as it
occurs.
7.
In the suction method of abortion, the suction apparatus always
removes the child S body in one piece.
1
Part II
For the following multiple-choice questions, please select the one
best answer.
8.
The ultrasound device
a)
b)
c)
is rarely utilized to examine the unborn child in the uterus.
emits light waves which cast a shadow of the unborn child 1 s
body onto a screen.
emits high frequency sound waves that echo off the unborn
child S body which give an image of the child.
emits x-rays that bounce off the unborn child s body which
give an image of the child.
1
d)
1
60
Part II - Multiple-choice Questions (Continued)
9.
Which of the following is a correct statement?
a)
b)
c)
d)
10.
Which of the following is a correct statement?
a)
b)
c)
11.
In the past, women have been properly informed of the
abortion procedures.
Women do not have to give consent prior to having an
abortion.
In the past, women have not been educated about the abortion procedures.
Women, in general, are very knowledgeable in fetal
development.
There are no victims in an abortion.
The unborn child is the victim in an abortion.
Both the mother and the unborn child are the victims in an
abortion.
During the suction method of abortion,
a)
b)
c)
polyp forceps are sometimes used to crush the head of the
unborn child.
the suction apparatus does not come in direct contact wi th
the unborn chi 1 d 1 s body.
pain medication is administered to the unborn child.
Part III
The following questions ask you about your opinions regarding the
unborn child and abortion. On your answer sheet, please mark the
letter that most closely describes your feelings about the statement
where:
A = Strongly agree with statement
B = Agree ~ith statement
C = No opinion
D = Disagree with statement
E = Strongly disagree with statement
12.
Abortion should remain legal in cases where the mother
is in danger.
13.
Abortion should remain legal in cases where the family does not
have enough money to support another child.
14.
Abortion is murder.
15.
A woman should be able to have an abortion if there is a strong
chance of serious defect to the baby.
1
S
health
61
Part III - Attitude Questions (continued)
Please continue to answer the following questions by marking the
letter that most closely describes your feelings about the statement
where:
A = Strongly agree with statement
B = Agree with statement
C = No opinion
0 = Disagree with statement
E = Strongly disagree with statement
16.
A woman should have the sole right to determine the fate of her
unborn child.
17.
A woman should be able to have an abortion if she became pregnant as a result of rape or incest.
18.
New technological advances in the study of the unborn child
indicate that the United States Supreme Court should re-examine
the issue of legalized abortion on demand.
19.
A woman should be allowed to have an abortion if she is not
married and does not want to marry the father of the unborn
chi 1d.
20.
Abortion is not an appropriate answer to unwanted pregnancies.
21.
A woman should be able to have an abortion if she is married
and does not want to have any more children.
22.
The unborn child and mother have equal rights to life.
23.
The unborn child is capable of feeling pain.
24.
The issue of a woman•s right to choose and to have an abortion
is more important than the immorality/morality of abortion.
11
25.
11
Any woman considering an abortion should view the film entitled
The Silent Scream prior to consenting to having an abortion.
Part IV - Pre-test
Please answer the following questions about yourself.
26.
What is your age?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
17-18 years
19-20 years
21-22 years
23-24 years
25 years or
old
old
old
old
older
27.
What is your sex?
a)
Ma 1e
b)
Female
62
28.
What is your marital status?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
30.
29.
married
single
divorced
separated
widowed
What is your ethnicity?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Caucasian
Hispanic
Asian
Black
other
What is your country of birth?
a)
b)
United States
other
Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.
Part IV - Post-test
Please answer the following question about yourself.
26.
How would you best describe yourself?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Roman Catholic
Protestant
Christian/non-denominational
Jewish or t~ormon
other
63
SURVEY ANSWER KEY
ACCORDING TO FACTS AND INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN THE SILENT SCREAM
Knowledge Items
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
True
False
True
True
True
False
False
c
c
c
A
Attitude Items -Likert scale
The following answers represent the most extreme pro-life position.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
disagree
disagree
agree
disagree
disagree
disagree
agree
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
strongly
disagree
agree
disagree
agree
agree
disagree
agree