Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q)
Measures beliefs that diverge from the prevailing scientific understanding and communication of climate change across four dimensions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q) was developed by Janna A. de Graaf, F. Marijn Stok, John B. F. de Wit, Michèlle Bal (2023). It is designed to measure Climate change skepticism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Trend Skepticism, Attribution Skepticism, Impact Skepticism, Response Skepticism.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Trend Skepticism | 1,7,11 | 3 |
| Attribution Skepticism | 2,6,9 | 3 |
| Impact Skepticism | 3,5,12 | 3 |
| Response Skepticism | 4,8,10 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 4 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 12 to 84. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Skepticism: 12 – 36
- Moderate Skepticism: 37 – 60
- High Skepticism: 61 – 84
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha >= .70.
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.