Psychology RootsProsocial Involvement, Opportunities and Rewards – Seattle Social Development Project
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About Prosocial Involvement, Opportunities and Rewards – Seattle Social Development Project
Scale Name
Prosocial Involvement, Opportunities and Rewards – Seattle Social Development Project
Author Details
Michael W. Arthur, J. David Hawkins, John A. Pollard, Richard F. Catalano, and A. J. Baglioni Jr.
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Prosocial Involvement, Opportunities and Rewards scale, developed as part of the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) by Michael W. Arthur, J. David Hawkins, John A. Pollard, Richard F. Catalano, and A. J. Baglioni Jr. in 2002, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure students’ perceptions of the availability of opportunities and rewards for prosocial involvement within the school setting. The SSDP, a longitudinal study initiated in 1981, tracks 808 multiethnic urban youth from age 10 (grade 5) through adulthood, examining risk and protective factors for behaviors like delinquency and substance use. The scale targets students aged 11-18 (grades 6-12) and is embedded in the Communities That Care Youth Survey, assessing protective factors that promote school bonding, a core component of the Social Development Model (SDM). The SDM posits that opportunities for prosocial engagement and recognition strengthen school attachment, reducing problem behaviors.
The scale includes items (exact number not specified, but typically 5-10 based on SSDP measures) divided into two subscales: Opportunities (e.g., “In my school, students have lots of chances to help decide things like class activities and rules”) and Rewards (e.g., “My teacher notices when I am doing a good job”). Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “definitely no” to 4 = “definitely yes”). Scores are calculated by summing item responses and dividing by the number of items, with higher scores indicating greater perceived opportunities or rewards. Validated in a diverse urban sample, the scale supports interventions fostering school connectedness, which mediates outcomes like reduced delinquency and improved academic performance.
Psychologists, educators, and researchers use the scale to evaluate school environments, inform prevention programs (e.g., Communities That Care), and assess intervention impacts on school bonding. Its moderate to good internal consistency and integration into the SDM enhance its utility, though its English-only availability and urban focus may limit generalizability.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Prosocial Involvement, Opportunities and Rewards scale from SSDP publications, such as Arthur et al. (2002) in Evaluation Review or ICPSR archives (e.g., ICPSR 34160), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses perceptions of school opportunities and rewards to improve school environments, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate each item based on their experiences of opportunities and rewards in school, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting the current school year.
- Approximate time for completion is about 3-5 minutes, given its concise format.
- Administer in a classroom or survey setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The scale demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties. Internal consistency is moderate for Opportunities (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.68) and good for Rewards (α = 0.73), indicating reasonable item cohesion, though the Opportunities subscale’s lower alpha suggests some variability. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but is inferred to be adequate based on SSDP’s longitudinal consistency (93% retention at age 18).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as school bonding (r ≈ 0.50-0.70) and academic achievement, and its inverse relationship with delinquency and substance use (r ≈ -0.40 to -0.60), as shown in SSDP studies (Hawkins et al., 1999). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as family dynamics (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict reduced problem behaviors and higher school engagement in intervention groups, as seen in Communities That Care trials. Factor analyses confirm the two-subscale structure (Opportunities and Rewards), supporting construct validity within the SDM framework. These properties affirm the scale’s utility in school-based prevention research, though the moderate Opportunities reliability suggests cautious interpretation.
Available Versions
09-Items
Reference
Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., Pollard, J. A., Catalano, R. F., & Baglioni Jr, A. J. (2002). Measuring risk and protective factors for use, delinquency, and other adolescent problem behaviors: The Communities That Care Youth Survey. Evaluation review, 26(6), 575-601.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Prosocial Involvement scale measure?
It measures students’ perceptions of opportunities and rewards for prosocial involvement in school.
Who can use the scale?
Researchers, educators, and psychologists studying school engagement and youth behavior.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 3-5 minutes.
Is the scale specific to urban students?
Yes, it was validated in a multiethnic urban sample aged 11-18.
Can the scale evaluate school interventions?
Yes, it’s sensitive to changes in school bonding post-intervention.
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