Scale Overview
The Collective Efficacy Scale – CES was developed by Robert J. Sampson, Stephen W. Raudenbush, Felton Earls (1997). It is designed to measure Collective Efficacy. The scale is intended for use with Neighborhood residents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Social Control, Social Cohesion.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Social Control |
1,2,3,4,5 |
5 |
| Social Cohesion |
6,7,8,9,10 |
5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very unlikely / Strongly disagree, 2 = Unlikely / Disagree, 3 = Neither likely nor unlikely / Neither agree nor disagree, 4 = Likely / Agree, 5 = Very likely / Strongly agree.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 10 to 50. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Collective Efficacy: 10 – 25
- Moderate Collective Efficacy: 26 – 39
- High Collective Efficacy: 40 – 50
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.