Expanding and Validating Applications of the Willingness to Self-Censor Scale: Self-Censorship and Media Advisers' Comfort Level with Controversial Topics

Abstract

Research on the Willingness to Self-Censor (WTSC) scale posits that the desire to withhold one's opinion is an intrinsic, as opposed to situational, trait. This study of high school media advisers (N=563) revealed that advisers who rated high on WTSC were more likely to state lower levels of comfort with the coverage of five controversial topic areas in their student media. These findings held even when accounting for key demographics, fear of reprisal for running the stories, job enjoyment, and the advisers' perception of their principal's comfort level with the topic.