| Category | Detail |
| Background | The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) tools consist of three distinct components: 1) Town-Wide Assessment (comprising 18 questions on town characteristics and an inventory of 15 recreational amenities), 2) Program and Policy Assessment (containing 20 questions), and 3) Street Segment Assessment (with 28 questions). These three assessment instruments are designed to be used together to provide a comprehensive measure addressing many of the unique factors believed to be important to active living in rural communities. The RALA tools were developed using an evidence-informed framework and substantial input from rural residents. They are designed to balance the needs of practitioners (user-friendliness) and researchers (reliable measures). The modules capture specific physical activity amenities, programs and policies, as well as built environment features. The RALA Codebook provides users with a practical and simple guide for implementing the tool in rural communities across the U.S. |
| Primary use / Purpose | The RALA Tools are designed to assess the physical environment features and amenities, town characteristics, community programs, and policies that can affect physical activity among residents in rural communities. This tool is suitable for both practitioners and researchers. The tools include a RALA Codebook that provides users with a practical and simple guide for implementing the tool in rural communities across the U.S. |
| Psychometrics | Not explicitly stated in the provided text. |
| Author of Tool | David Hartley, Ph.D., Anush Yousefian, M.S., Renee Umstattd, Ph.D., Jeffrey Hallam, Ph.D., Christina Economos, Ph.D., Raymond Hyatt, Ph.D., & Erin Hennessy, M.P.H. |
| Web link to tool | Not provided in the text. |
| Files | rala_segment_tool |
| Key references | The RALA tools were designed by researchers at the Maine Rural Health Research Center, University of Southern Maine, and was tested and refined by researchers at the University of Southern Maine, Tufts University, University of Alabama, and University of Mississippi. |
Cite this article
mohammad looti (2026). The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-rural-active-living-assessment-rala-tools/
mohammad looti. "The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 30 Mar. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-rural-active-living-assessment-rala-tools/.
mohammad looti. "The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-rural-active-living-assessment-rala-tools/.
mohammad looti (2026) 'The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-rural-active-living-assessment-rala-tools/.
[1] mohammad looti, "The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, March, 2026.
mohammad looti. The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.