Allyship Scale

Abstract

The Allyship Scale (Chen, Joel, & Castro Lingl, 2023) is a specialized 11-item questionnaire developed to quantify LGBT individuals’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness and quality of straight allyship. The scale’s content was rigorously developed based on thematic analyses derived from open-ended descriptions of allyship provided directly by LGBT participants. Psychometric evaluation confirmed its structure through factor analysis, and strong results for both reliability and validity were reported using nationally representative community samples. A notable methodological challenge identified during the validation process was the complexity inherent in precisely measuring the third core component of the construct: humility.

Keywords

Allyship, LGBT community, Straight Ally, Being Nonprejudiced, Taking Action, Humility, Psychological Measurement, Questionnaire.

Authors

Chen, Jacqueline M., Joel, Samantha, Castro Lingl, Daphne.

Purpose

The fundamental objective of the Allyship Scale is to provide a standardized, empirically validated instrument for assessing how LGBT individuals perceive the quality and impact of support provided by their straight counterparts. This focus shifts the measurement of allyship away from self-report (how allies view themselves) toward target-report (how the marginalized group perceives the ally’s actions).

By capturing perceived effectiveness, the scale offers crucial insight into which ally behaviors are valued and deemed meaningful by the community they intend to support. This measurement is vital for understanding the mechanisms underlying effective intergroup relations and reducing minority stress.

Construct

The Allyship Scale measures the multidimensional construct of perceived straight allyship from the perspective of the LGBT community. The scale conceptualizes effective allyship as consisting of three distinct yet related components or subscales, which collectively constitute the overall construct:

• Being Nonprejudiced: Reflects internal attitudes such as fairness, acceptance, and non-judgmental behavior toward LGBT individuals.

• Taking Action: Measures observable, proactive behaviors, including speaking out against discrimination and advocating for equality.

• Having Humility: Focuses on the ally’s approach to engagement, specifically their willingness to listen, avoid centering their own experiences, and defer to the voices of the marginalized group.

Validity

The psychometric evaluation of the Allyship Scale demonstrated strong evidence supporting its validity across multiple dimensions, validating its use in measuring perceived allyship among diverse targets (friends, family, coworkers).

In terms of Convergent Validity, the overall allyship composite score showed a significant positive correlation with a single, face-valid item that directly measured perceived allyship among close contacts (friends, family, and colleagues). Furthermore, the scale exhibited robust Discriminant Validity, confirming that perceived allyship—as measured by this instrument—was empirically distinct and distinguishable from various other intra- and interpersonal psychological constructs, ensuring it measures a unique concept.

Reliability

The Allyship Scale demonstrates high levels of internal consistency, suggesting that the 11 items reliably measure the underlying construct. Specifically, the reliability coefficient (Omega, $omega$) for ratings concerning a roommate was calculated at .92, which is indicative of excellent internal consistency within the measure.

Factor Analysis

The structural integrity of the scale was established through both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), supporting the hypothesized three-factor model.

The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) indicated that the first three factors were highly significant, cumulatively accounting for 79.43% of the total variance. Factor 1 explained 52.51% (Eigenvalue = 6.82); Factor 2 explained 17.08% (Eigenvalue = 2.22); and Factor 3 explained 9.84% (Eigenvalue = 1.28). Because subsequent factors accounted for minimal variance (each explaining less than 4.5% with eigenvalues below 0.60), the three-factor solution was confirmed as the most appropriate fit for the data.

The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), conducted after the removal of two items, demonstrated acceptable model fit across various target groups. Fit indices were reported as follows:

• Rating a Friend: RMSEA = .07, CI [.06, .09]; CFI = .97; SRMR = .05.

• Rating a Family Member: RMSEA = .09, CI [.08, .11]; CFI = .96; SRMR = .06.

• Rating a Coworker: RMSEA = .06, CI [.04, .08]; CFI = .98; SRMR = .04.

The analysis also provided evidence for strong Measurement Invariance when comparing ratings across different targets, suggesting the scale consistently measures the perceived allyship construct across different types of relationships.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: The Allyship Scale is an 11-item inventory/questionnaire. Participants rate the importance of various behaviors for being an ally on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not at all important) to 7 (extremely important). The administration method is electronic.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older)

Population Details: The study participants were LGBT individuals located in the United States, drawn from community samples with nationally representative characteristics.

Test Methodology: The methodology employed included Test Validity (Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity), Test Reliability (Internal Consistency), Factor Analysis (Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis), and Measurement Invariance.

Authors and Affiliations

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Chen, Jacqueline M.: 0000-0001-9347-3816

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Chen, Jacqueline M.: University of Utah, Department of Psychology

• Joel, Samantha: Western University, Department of Psychology

• Castro Lingl, Daphne: University of Connecticut, Department of Psychological Sciences

• Jacqueline M. Chen (Email): [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

Jacqueline M. Chen: University of Utah, Department of Psychology, 380 South 1530 East BEHS 502, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84112, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The Allyship Scale may be used freely for research and teaching purposes.

Commercial Use: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Chen, J. M., Joel, S., & Castro Lingl, D. (2023). Antecedents and consequences of LGBT individuals’ perceptions of straight allyship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 125(4), 827–851. doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000422

Items of the Allyship Scale

The Allyship Scale consists of 11 items. The specific items are located in Table 3, Page 9 of the source reference. Items are rated from 1 (not at all important) to 7 (extremely important).

Being Non-Prejudiced

1. Wants equal rights for everyone.

2. Cares that people are treated fairly.

3. Is non-judgmental of others.

4. Is accepting of others.

Taking Action

1. Speaks out against anti-LGBT discrimination.

2. Fights for equality of LGBT+ people.

3. Vocally supports the LGBT+ community.

4. Seeks out opportunities to learn about LGBT+ issues.

Having Humility

1. Listens more than speaking in discussions of LGBT issues.

2. Keeps the focus off of themselves in discussions of LGBT issues.

3. Avoids focusing group conversations about LGBT issues on their own opinions and experiences.