Adaptation of Migrant Deservingness Scale for Use in Turkish Context

This study aims to adapt the Migrant Deservingness Scale (MDS), which directly assesses five key criteria—Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity, and Need—that individuals use to determine whether immigrants are perceived as deserving or undeserving, for the Turkish population. A translation/back-translation method was employed. A total of 673 adults (Mage = 32.05) participated and completed the MDS, Realistic and Symbolic Threat Scales, Social Distance Scale, Social Contact Scale, and Feeling Thermometer. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor structure of MDS, demonstrating acceptable model fit. The scale showed strong internal consistency and reliability across subdimensions, supporting its robustness for assessing migrant deservingness perceptions. Construct validity was evidenced by significant correlations between MDS subdimensions and related constructs: attitudes toward immigrants, perceived realistic and symbolic threats, intergroup contact, and social distance. Notably, higher endorsement of Control, Attitude, and Reciprocity criteria was associated with more negative attitudes toward immigrants and greater perceived threat, while the Need dimension showed the opposite pattern. Overall, the MDS is a reliable, valid, and valuable tool for assessing migrant deservingness perceptions in the Turkish context. This adaptation offers a robust instrument for future research on public attitudes toward migration, intergroup dynamics, and social policy in non-WEIRD populations.