Scale Overview
The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children – N-SLOC was developed by Stephen Nowicki Jr. & Bonnie R. Strickland (1973). It is designed to measure Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Children and adolescents (grades 3-12).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
The scale includes 16 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- Internal Locus of Control: 0 – 11
- Average/Moderate Locus of Control: 12 – 20
- External Locus of Control: 21 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Internal consistency ranges from .63 to .74; test-retest reliability ranges from .63 to .71..
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.