Christian Orthodoxy Scale – CO Scale
A unidimensional measure of the degree to which an individual accepts beliefs central to Christianity.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Christian Orthodoxy Scale – CO Scale was developed by J. T. Fullerton & B. Hunsberger (1982). It is designed to measure Christian Orthodoxy. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 25 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: -3 = Strongly disagree, -2 = Moderately disagree, -1 = Slightly disagree, 0 = Neutral, +1 = Slightly agree, +2 = Moderately agree, +3 = Strongly agree.
The scale includes 13 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 24 to 168. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Orthodoxy (Unorthodox / Apostate): 24 – 80
- Moderate Orthodoxy: 81 – 110
- High Orthodoxy: 111 – 168
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.98.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.