17-item Grit and Ambition Scale
Measures an individual's perseverance and passion for long-term goals alongside their ambition.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The 17-item Grit and Ambition Scale was developed by Angela L. Duckworth, Christopher Peterson, Michael D. Matthews, & Dennis R. Kelly (2007). It is designed to measure Grit and Ambition. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 17 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Consistency of Interest, Perseverance of Effort, Ambition.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency of Interest | 3,5,7,9,10,16 | 6 |
| Perseverance of Effort | 2,6,8,11,14,17 | 6 |
| Ambition | 1,4,12,13,15 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not like me at all, 2 = Not much like me, 3 = Somewhat like me, 4 = Mostly like me, 5 = Very much like me.
The scale includes 7 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 17 to 85. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Grit and Ambition: 17 – 39
- Moderate Grit and Ambition: 40 – 62
- High Grit and Ambition: 63 – 85
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha values typically range from 0.77 to 0.85 for the subscales.
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.