College Adjustment Test (CAT)
A 19-item self-report scale designed to measure college adjustment in freshmen, assessing positive affect, negative affect, and homesickness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The College Adjustment Test (CAT) was developed by James W. Pennebaker, Mary Colder, & Linda K. Sharp (1990). It is designed to measure College adjustment. The scale is intended for use with College freshmen.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 19 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Positive Affect, Negative Affect, Homesickness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Affect | 9,10,12,13,18,19 | 6 |
| Negative Affect | 4,5,6,7,8,14,15,16,17 | 9 |
| Homesickness | 1,2,3,11,15,16 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = not at all, 2 = , 3 = , 4 = somewhat, 5 = , 6 = , 7 = a great deal.
The scale includes 12 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha = .79.
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.