Scale Overview
The Alcohol Responsibility Scale – ARS was developed by Lefcourt (1981). It is designed to measure Locus of Responsibility for Alcoholism. The scale is intended for use with Adults with alcohol use concerns.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 31 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: a = Statement A, b = Statement B.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 31. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strong External Locus of Responsibility: 0 – 10
- Mixed Locus of Responsibility: 11 – 20
- Strong Internal Locus of Responsibility: 21 – 31
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Comparable to Rotter's Locus of Control scale.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.