Scale Overview
The Political Alienation Scale was developed by John E. Horton and Wayne E. Thompson (1962). It is designed to measure Political Alienation. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 5 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Powerlessness, Awareness of Power.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Powerlessness |
1,2 |
2 |
| Awareness of Power |
3,4,5 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: powerless_response = Indicates political alienation/powerlessness, non_powerless_response = Indicates political efficacy/engagement.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Political Alienation: 0 – 1
- Moderate Political Alienation: 2 – 3
- High Political Alienation: 4 – 5
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.