Self-perceived Accent Scale – SPAS
Measures an individual's self-perception of their non-native English accent, including its strength, understandability, and impact on communication.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Self-perceived Accent Scale – SPAS was developed by John F. Dovidio, Anna Gluszek, M. John, R. Ditlmann, & P. Lagunes (2010). It is designed to measure Self-perceived non-native accent. The scale is intended for use with Non-native English speakers.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 5 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Low accent / High competence), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9 (High accent / Low competence).
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 9. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low self-perceived accent / High native-likeness: 1 – 3
- Moderate self-perceived accent: 4 – 6
- High self-perceived accent / Low native-likeness: 7 – 9
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.