1. Doing things to help other people is more important to me than almost anything else.
2. I’m the kind of person who will try anything once‚ even if it’s not that safe.
3. I should try harder to control myself when I’m having fun.
4. I do things that are against the law more often than most people.
5. I often go out of my way to do things for other people.
6. People who get me angry better watch out.
7. I think about other people’s feelings before I do something they might not like.
8. I do things without giving them enough thought.
9. When I have the chance‚ I take things I want that don’t really belong to me.
10. If someone tries to hurt me‚ I make sure I get even with them.
11. I enjoy doing things for other people‚ even when I don’t receive anything in return.
12. I become “wild and crazy” and do things other people might not like.
13. I do things that are really not fair to people I don’t care about.
14. I will cheat on something if I know no one will find out.
15. When I’m doing something for fun (for example‚ partying‚ acting silly)‚ I tend to get carried away and go too far.
16. I make sure that doing what I want will not cause problems for other people.
17. I break laws and rules I don’t agree with.
18. I like to do new and different things that many people would consider weird or not really safe.
19. Before I do something‚ I think about how it will affect the people around me.
20. If someone does something I really don’t like‚ I yell at them about it.
21. People can depend on me to do what I know I should.
22. I lose my temper and “let people have it” when I’m angry.
23. I do things that I know really aren’t right.
24. I say the first thing that comes into my mind without thinking enough about it.
25. I pick on people I don’t like.
26. I try very hard not to hurt other people’s feelings.
27. I stop and think things through before I act.
28. I say something mean to someone who has upset me.
29. I make sure I stay out of trouble.
30. When someone tries to start a fight with me‚ I fight back.
This Measures self-restraint; items pertain to suppression of aggression‚ impulse control‚ responsibility‚ consideration of others. Can be administered in classrooms.
This instrument can be found on pages 134-137 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
This scale is copyrighted. For permission to use‚ contact:
Daniel A. Weinberger‚ Ph.D.
Wellen Center
P.O. Box 22807
Beachwood‚ OH 44122
Tel: (440) 734-7861 #
Fax: (404) 378-5930
Items 1 and 5 are scored on the following 5-point scale:
False = 1
Somewhat false = 2
Not sure = 3
Somewhat true = 4
True = 5
Items 2‚ 3‚ 4 and 6 are recoded as follows:
False = 5
Somewhat false = 4
Not sure = 3
Somewhat true = 2
True = 1
Items 7‚ 11‚ 16‚ 19‚ 21‚ 26‚ 27 and 29 are scored on the following 5-point scale:
Never = 1
Not often = 2
Sometimes = 3
Often = 4
Almost always = 5
Items 8‚ 9‚ 10‚ 12‚ 13‚ 14‚ 15‚ 17‚ 18‚ 20‚ 22‚ 23‚ 24‚ 25‚ 28 and 30 are recoded as follows:
Never = 5
Not often = 4
Sometimes = 3
Often = 2
Almost always = 1
Within each subscale the score is calculated by summing the point values of the responses from a participant. If 25% or less of the responses are left blank‚ the average of the point values for the remainingitems should be multiplied by the total number of items in the scale to calculate a pro-rated score. The scaleshould generally not be scored if more than 25% of the responses are left blank.
The maximum obtainable score of 150 indicates a high level of emotional restraint. A minimum score of30 indicates a low level.
A short version of the restraint scale is based on the sum of the following 12 items: 6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10‚ 12‚ 14‚15‚ 16‚ 19‚ 22 and 23. The maximum obtainable score of 60 indicates a high level of emotional restraint. Aminimum score of 12 indicates a low level.
Four subscales are based on the following items:
Suppression of Aggression—6‚ 10‚ 20‚ 22‚ 25‚ 28 and 30
Impulse Control—2‚ 3‚ 8‚ 12‚ 15‚ 18‚ 24 and 27
Consideration of Others—1‚ 5‚ 7‚ 11‚ 16‚ 19 and 26
Responsibility—4‚ 9‚ 13‚ 14‚ 17‚ 21‚ 23 and 29
In each case‚ the maximum obtainable score (of 35 or 40) indicates a high level of suppression of aggression. Aminimum score of 7 or 8 indicates a low level.
Weinberger DA‚ Schwartz GE. Distress and restraint as superordinate dimensions of adjustment: a
typological perspective. Journal of Personality 1990;58(2):381-417.
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf