Scale Overview
The Need to Belong Scale – NTBS was developed by Mark R. Leary, Kelly M. Kelly, Caitlin A. Cottrell, & Lisa S. Schreindorfer (2013). It is designed to measure Need to Belong. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low need to belong: 1 – 2
- Moderate need to belong: 2 – 3
- High need to belong: 3 – 5
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.