Character Assessment Scale (CAS)
Assesses personal character traits and moral strengths and weaknesses according to biblical standards within an evangelical Christian framework.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Character Assessment Scale (CAS) was developed by Schmidt (1987). It is designed to measure Moral character traits and Christian virtues. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 90 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Bodily Health, Respect, Concern, Anger, Money, Sexuality, Time and Energy, Honesty.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily Health | 1,9,25,40,41,56,57,73,88,89 | 10 |
| Respect | 2,15,16,30,31,32,34,47,48,63,64,79,80,82 | 14 |
| Concern | 3,5,6,14,35,50,51,66,67,81 | 10 |
| Anger | 4,13,20,29,36,45,46,52,62,65,78 | 11 |
| Money | 12,21,28,37,44,49,53,60,61,69,77,85 | 12 |
| Sexuality | 7,10,17,23,26,39,42,55,58,71,74,87,90 | 13 |
| Time and Energy | 11,22,27,33,38,43,54,59,70,72,75,76,86 | 13 |
| Honesty | 8,18,19,24,68,83,84 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous True/False format.
The scale includes 22 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 0 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Alignment with Character Strengths: 0 – 30
- Moderate Alignment with Character Strengths: 31 – 60
- High Alignment with Character Strengths: 61 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.61 to 0.83 (average 0.75).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.