Scale Overview
The Generalized Belief Measure – GBM was developed by James C. McCroskey (1996). It is designed to measure Belief strength and evaluation. The scale is intended for use with General population.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very strong feeling (left adjective), 2 = Strong feeling (left adjective), 3 = Fairly weak feeling (left adjective), 4 = Undecided / Do not understand, 5 = Fairly weak feeling (right adjective), 6 = Strong feeling (right adjective), 7 = Very strong feeling (right adjective).
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 6 to 42. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strongly Negative Belief: 6 – 18
- Neutral / Undecided: 19 – 29
- Strongly Positive Belief: 30 – 42
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha > .90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.