Youth Risk Behavior Survey – Weapon Carrying Module (YRBS-WCM)
Measures the frequency of weapon and gun carrying among adolescents over the past 30 days.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey – Weapon Carrying Module (YRBS-WCM) was developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (1993). It is designed to measure Weapon Carrying. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents (grades 9-12).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 3 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = 0 days, 1 = 1 day, 2 = 2 or 3 days, 3 = 4 or 5 days, 4 = 6 or more days.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 12. Interpretation guidelines:
- No weapon carrying: 0 – 0
- Infrequent weapon carrying: 1 – 3
- Moderate weapon carrying: 4 – 8
- Frequent weapon carrying: 9 – 12
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
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.