Beliefs About Peer Norms Scale
Measures adolescents' perceptions of substance use among their peers and their peers' attitudes toward alcohol and drug use.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Beliefs About Peer Norms Scale was developed by William B. Hansen & Ralph B. McNeal (1997). It is designed to measure Peer Norms. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 8 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Peer Behavior, Peer Approval and Attitudes, Peer Relations.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Behavior | 1,2,6,8 | 4 |
| Peer Approval and Attitudes | 3,4,7 | 3 |
| Peer Relations | 5 | 1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = None of them / Strongly disagree / They would be angry with me / Never, 2 = Some of them / Disagree / They would be a little upset / Sometimes, but not often, 3 = Most of them / Agree / They wouldn't care / Often, 4 = All of them / Strongly agree / They would accept/be glad / All the time.
The scale includes 1 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 Not specified.
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.