The Alcohol Responsibility Scale

Abstract

The Alcohol Responsibility Scale (ARS) is a specialized psychological instrument designed to assess an individual’s perceived locus of control regarding their problem drinking behavior. Specifically, the ARS measures the extent to which an individual attributes the cause, maintenance, and potential recovery from alcoholism to internal, personal choices and responsibility (internal locus) versus external forces, such as fate, societal pressures, heredity, or the concept of alcoholism as a disease (external locus). The scale consists of 24 forced-choice items, each presenting a binary option reflecting either an internal or external attribution for their condition.

Keywords

Alcohol Responsibility Scale, Locus of Control, Alcohol Use Disorder, Addiction, Responsibility Attribution, Alcohol Relapse, Internal-External Control.

Authors

The scale was documented and published within the academic volume edited by H. M. Lefcourt (1981). The specific primary authors of the scale itself are not explicitly named in the documentation, but its structure and use are detailed in the context of research on the Locus of Control construct. Subsequent usage and validation studies were conducted by Johnson, Nora, Tan, and Bustos (1991).

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Alcohol Responsibility Scale is to provide a quantitative measure of attributional style concerning alcohol-related problems. By determining whether an individual views their drinking as a consequence of personal decisions and values or as an uncontrollable outcome driven by external circumstances, the scale offers insight crucial for treatment planning. Clinically, understanding this attribution is vital, as internal responsibility is often associated with greater motivation for change and improved outcomes in recovery programs.

Construct

The ARS directly measures the construct of Locus of Responsibility for Alcoholism, which is a domain-specific adaptation of Julian Rotter’s generalized Locus of Control construct. Individuals scoring high on internal responsibility believe they possess the power to choose sobriety and are accountable for their behavioral outcomes. Conversely, those scoring high on external responsibility view themselves as victims of circumstance, heredity, or a disease state, placing control outside of themselves. This dichotomy is fundamental to therapeutic approaches that emphasize personal agency in overcoming addiction.

Validity

While the scale is not widely featured in general Locus of Control literature, empirical evidence supporting its concurrent validity exists. Johnson and colleagues (1991) conducted a study comparing the ARS to Rotter’s scale in an alcoholic population. Their findings indicated that the ARS was comparable to Rotter’s established measure in predicting outcomes. Specifically, both scales demonstrated that an external Locus of Control orientation was significantly associated with a higher probability of alcohol relapse. This suggests the ARS effectively captures the underlying construct of control as it relates to recovery behavior.

Reliability

Detailed data regarding the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or test-retest reliability of the Alcohol Responsibility Scale are not widely reported in the common academic databases. However, its successful use in comparative studies (Johnson et al., 1991) implies sufficient reliability for research purposes within specialized populations. Further psychometrics research would be required to establish comprehensive reliability metrics.

Factor Analysis

Formal factor analysis of the Alcohol Responsibility Scale is generally absent from the brief published summaries. Given its design as a measure of a bipolar construct (Internal vs. External Locus of Responsibility), it is likely intended to function as a unidimensional scale, where all 24 items contribute to a single score reflecting the degree of external attribution versus internal responsibility regarding the individual’s alcoholism.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report, Domain-Specific Attitude Scale

Format: 24 forced-choice items (A/B options)

Language Available: English (as documented in the primary source)

Population Group: Clinical population diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) or individuals undergoing rehabilitation for problem drinking.

Age Group: Adult

Population Details: Used effectively with alcoholic populations to predict treatment outcomes and relapse potential.

Test Methodology: Respondents choose the statement (A or B) that they more strongly believe to be true regarding their relationship with alcohol and their recovery potential. Scoring typically involves assigning points to the externally oriented choices, resulting in a score reflecting the degree of external Locus of Control.

Keywords

Alcohol treatment, Attribution theory, Psychological assessment, Alcohol abuse, Internal control, External control, Addiction recovery, Behavioral choice.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not available in source documentation)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not available in source documentation)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not available in source documentation)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: Documented in 1981 (Lefcourt, H. M., Ed.)

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding current commercial permissions or associated fees is unavailable. The scale is primarily referenced in academic literature and may be available for non-commercial research use via the source text.

The study comparing the ARS to Rotter’s scale is available online at: http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1996.82.3c.1202?journalCode=pms

Reference’s

• Furnham & Steele (1993). Measuring Locus of Control: A critique of general‚ children’s‚ health- and work-related Locus of Control questionnaires. British Journal of Psychology‚ 84‚ 443-479.

• Johnson‚ E. E.‚ Nora‚ R. N.‚ Tan‚ B. & Bustos‚ N. (1991). Comparison of two Locus of Control scales in predicting relapse in an alcoholic population. Perceptual and Motor Skills‚ 72‚ 43-40.

• Lefcourt‚ H. M. (Ed.). (1981). Research with the Locus of Control construct: Volume 1: Assessment methods. New York‚ NY: Academic Press Inc.

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Items of the The Alcohol Responsibility Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

I more strongly believe that:

a. I can “make it” if I want to hard enough.

b. If the cards are “stacked against me”‚ I will never “make it”.

a. I am the victim of bad luck of fate.

b. I have chosen a poor solution to some of life’s problems.

a. I have learned to become an alcoholic.

b. Heredity played a major role in my becoming an alcoholic.

a. My drinking is a “disease”.

b. My drinking is a poor solution to problems in my life.

a. If I could understand why I got this way‚ I would be well on my way to becoming cured.

b. My behavior reflects what I lace the most value in¡Xalcohol or family‚ job‚ etc.

a. I am “sick” or “ill”.

b. I am “irresponsible”.

a. I was born to be an alcoholic.

b. The experiences I have had and how I have reacted to them played a large part in determining whether I would become an alcoholic.

a. I can be the biggest “con man’ in the world.

b. I am the victim of society and others around me.

a. I am just no good and I probably never will be.

b. I can be rehabilitated but only with my help.

a. If I make up my mind to quit drinking‚ I can do it.

b. Without the “right breaks”‚ I don’t stand a chance at being sober.

a. The Service is the main reason why I was forced in to drinking in the first place.

b. I can choose to refuse a drink even if others expect me to have a drink with them.

a. What happens to me‚ as an alcoholic‚ is up to me.

b. I don’t have very much control over the direction my life takes.

a. My staying sober involves taking responsibility for my behavior and placing more value on sobriety than on drunkenness.

b. If I could get the “right breaks” I could kick the habit.

a. I would give anything to stay sober.

b. If I placed more value on staying sober than in drowning my troubles in alcohol‚ I would stay sober.

a. Other people can drive me to drink.

b. I have repeatedly chosen the easy way out of bad situations.

a. I can make the choice not to drink no matter how my parent have treated me.

b. My parents don’t realize how much they have put me on the road to alcoholism.

a. Physical problems often cause me to drink too much.

b. My drinking too much often causes me physical problems.

a. If people understood me better‚ they would realize that I can’t help myself.

b. I earn most of the contempt others show towards me.

a. I have made the choice of becoming an alcoholic‚ not other people.

b. If society were different‚ I wouldn’t have had to become an alcoholic.

a. I need a rehabilitation program that will help me.

b. I need to take an active part in my own treatment‚ whenever I seek help.

a. I have given my life over to alcoholism.

b. Alcoholism has taken over my life.

a. I certainly get a “raw deal’ in life.

b. I generally get what I ask for in life.

a. When pressure builds up‚ I can’t keep from drinking.

b. Even when things are tough‚ I am responsible for staying sober.

a. I can control other people with my drinking behavior.

b. When I am drunk‚ I am an easy victim of other people’s manipulations.

a. If anyone really cared about me‚ I wouldn’t have to drink.

b. If I cared enough about other people‚ I wouldn’t drink.

a. I can’t justify my drinking by focusing on a “rough childhood” or a lost marriage.

b. A woman is the major cause of my being pushed into alcoholism.

a. I am responsible for choosing my way of life.

b. Things that have happened to me have pushed me towards alcoholism.

a. Alcoholism is a behavior problem that only I can change.

b. Doctors will soon find a cure for my drinking.

a. I have made the choice to drink or not to drink every day.

b. When a way of life‚ like alcoholism‚ took over my life it was almost impossible to change.

a. I can’t excuse myself for drinking just because I get frustrated by other people.

b. When the hospital staff gives me a “bad time‚” they are driving me to drink.

a. My alcoholism was likely caused by my being influenced by other drinkers.

b. I have likely chosen the kind of friends that give me an excuse to drink.