College Adjustment Test – CAT
Measures the degree to which students experience various thoughts and feelings related to coping and college adjustment during their transition.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The College Adjustment Test – CAT was developed by Pennebaker, J.W., Colder, M., & Sharp, L.K. (1990). It is designed to measure College adjustment and coping. The scale is intended for use with College students / Freshmen.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 19 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Positive affect, Negative affect, Home sickness.
| 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 |
| Home sickness | 1,2,3,11,15,16 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
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.
Total scores range from 19 to 133. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Adjustment: 19 – 57
- Moderate Adjustment: 58 – 95
- High Adjustment: 96 – 133
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach 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.