The Alcohol Responsibility Scale – ARS
Measures the extent to which an individual attributes the responsibility for their problem drinking to internal factors (self) versus external forces.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The The Alcohol Responsibility Scale – ARS was developed by Herbert M. Lefcourt (1981). It is designed to measure Locus of Responsibility for Alcoholism. The scale is intended for use with Individuals with alcohol use concerns.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 31 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: a = Statement A, b = Statement B.
The scale includes 16 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 31. Interpretation guidelines:
- External Locus of Responsibility (attribution of drinking behavior to external forces): 0 – 15
- Internal Locus of Responsibility (attribution of drinking behavior to personal choices and actions): 16 – 31
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Comparable to Rotter's Locus of Control scale.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.