Neighborhood Disorganization Scale (NDS)
Measures the perceived level of social disorganization, physical disorder, and crime in a respondent's neighborhood.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Neighborhood Disorganization Scale (NDS) was developed by Thornberry, T. P., Krohn, M. D., Lizotte, A. J., Smith, C. A., & Tobin, K. (2003). It is designed to measure Neighborhood Disorganization. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 17 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Economic Deprivation, Social Disorder, Physical Disorder, Crime.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Deprivation | 1 | 1 |
| Social Disorder | 2,4,5,6,10,14,15,16 | 8 |
| Physical Disorder | 3,7,11 | 3 |
| Crime | 8,9,12,13,17 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not a problem, 2 = Sort of a problem, 3 = A big problem.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 3. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low neighborhood disorganization: 1 – 1
- Moderate neighborhood disorganization: 1 – 2
- High neighborhood disorganization: 2 – 3
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.