Scale Overview
The Attitudes Toward Gangs was developed by Nadel, H., Spellmann, M., Alvarez-Canino, T., Lausell-Bryant, L., & Landsberg, G. (1996). It is designed to measure Attitudes toward gangs. The scale is intended for use with Students in grades 3-12 (ages 8-18).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 9 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not true for me, 1 = True for me.
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 9. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low acceptance of gangs: 0 – 3
- Moderate acceptance of gangs: 4 – 6
- High acceptance of gangs: 7 – 9
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.