Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity Scales (RCAS)
Measures the level of role conflict and role ambiguity experienced by individuals within an organization.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity Scales (RCAS) was developed by Rizzo, R. J., House, R. J., & Lirtzman, S. I. (1970). It is designed to measure Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity. The scale is intended for use with Working adults / organizational employees.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 14 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Role Ambiguity, Role Conflict.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Role Ambiguity | 1,3,5,8,10,13 | 6 |
| Role Conflict | 2,4,6,7,9,11,12,14 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Definitely not true of my job, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = Extremely true of my job.
The scale includes 6 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 14 to 98. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Role Stress: 14 – 42
- Moderate Role Stress: 43 – 70
- High Role Stress: 71 – 98
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Role Ambiguity alpha = 0.73, Role Conflict alpha = 0.88.
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.