Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale – RCAS
Measures the level of role conflict and role ambiguity experienced by employees within an organization.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale – RCAS was developed by Rizzo, J., House, R. J., & Lirtzman, S. I. (1970). It is designed to measure Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity. The scale is intended for use with Working adults and organizational employees.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 14 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Role Conflict, Role Ambiguity.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Role Conflict | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | 8 |
| Role Ambiguity | 9,10,11,12,13,14 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 6 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 14 to 98. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Role Stress: 14 – 42
- Moderate Role Stress: 43 – 70
- High Role Stress: 71 – 98
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha values range from .71 to .87 for role conflict, and .71 to .95 for role ambiguity..
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.