Background: Public engagement with science supports scientific literacy and strengthens connections between science and society. Outreach events provide accessible opportunities to foster interest in science and sustained engagement. This study aimed to evaluate attendees’ perceptions of a Science Night outreach event and its association with attitudes toward science, scientific self-efficacy, and future behavioral intentions.
Materials and Methods: This applied, descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study surveyed attendees of a Science Night event in Kerman, Iran, on March 10, 2026. Data were collected with a researcher-developed questionnaire containing demographic items and 14 Likert-scale statements. Content validity was assessed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI), and internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA; p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Of the 200 participants, 57% were female. Mean scores were highest for Event Evaluation (4.04 ± 0.71), followed by Behavioral Intention (3.91 ± 0.93), Attitude toward Science (3.86 ± 0.90), and Scientific Self-Efficacy (3.80 ± 0.89). Willingness to recommend the event (4.21 ± 1.04) and presenter clarity (4.13 ± 0.86) received the highest item scores. No significant gender differences were found. However, participant role significantly influenced Event Evaluation (p = 0.037), Attitude toward Science (p < 0.001), and Scientific Self-Efficacy (p = 0.042), with the general public scoring higher than students. Educational level also affected Event Evaluation (p = 0.047) and Attitude toward Science (p = 0.003).
Conclusion: Science Night attendance was associated with favorable evaluations, positive attitudes toward science, stronger self-efficacy, and greater behavioral intentions, suggesting that interactive public science events can strengthen science communication and public engagement.