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Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale
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About Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale
Scale Name
Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale
Author Details
Hadley Cantril (1965)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, developed by Hadley Cantril in 1965, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure life evaluation, capturing well-being through judgments of current life satisfaction and future expectations. It assesses both the “experiencing self” (happiness in the present) and the “reflecting self” (future-oriented perspective), aligning with subjective well-being frameworks (Diener et al., 2009). Targeting adults, the scale is widely used in global surveys like the Gallup World Poll to evaluate well-being across cultures and predict health, stress, and quality-of-life outcomes.
The scale consists of a single question, often referred to as the “ladder of life,” asking respondents to imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 (worst possible life) to 10 (best possible life). They rate: (1) their current life situation and (2) where they expect to be in five years. Scores are categorized into three well-being levels:
- Thriving: Current life ≥7 and future life ≥8, indicating strong, consistent well-being with fewer health issues, less stress, and more positive emotions.
- Struggling: Current life 5–6 or future life 5–7, reflecting moderate or inconsistent well-being with higher stress and health concerns.
- Suffering: Current life ≤4 and future life ≤4, indicating high-risk well-being with significant stress, pain, and lack of basic needs.
Scores are reported as raw values (0–10) for both current and future ratings. Validated in diverse global samples, the scale predicts health outcomes, stress levels, and socio-economic impacts. Its simplicity and cross-cultural applicability are strengths, but its single-item format may limit depth, and reliance on self-perception can introduce bias.
Psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers use the scale to assess life satisfaction, monitor population well-being, and inform policy interventions. Its global use in surveys underscores its utility in comparing well-being across nations and contexts.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Cantril (1965) in The Pattern of Human Concerns or Gallup World Poll documentation, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses life satisfaction now and in the future to understand well-being, emphasizing anonymity and using clear, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to imagine a ladder (0 = worst possible life, 10 = best possible life) and rate their current life and expected life in five years.
- Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes, given the single-question format with two ratings.
- Administer in community, clinical, or research settings, using paper, digital, or interview formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration is common for accessibility, especially in global surveys.
Reliability and Validity
The Cantril Scale has robust psychometric properties for a single-item measure, as reported in Diener et al. (2009) and Gallup studies. Internal consistency is not applicable due to the single-item format, but test-retest reliability is moderate to high (r ≈ 0.60–0.80 over weeks), reflecting stability in life evaluations. Cross-cultural reliability is supported by consistent results in global samples.
Convergent validity is evidenced by correlations with life satisfaction (r ≈ 0.50–0.70), positive affect (r ≈ 0.40–0.60), and health outcomes (r ≈ 0.30–0.50). Discriminant validity is shown by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like cognitive ability (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict health, stress, and socio-economic outcomes (e.g., thriving respondents report fewer sick days, suffering respondents report higher disease burden). Construct validity is supported by its alignment with subjective well-being frameworks and its ability to differentiate thriving, struggling, and suffering groups. For enhanced depth, it can be paired with multi-item scales like the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985).
Available Versions
02-Items
Reference
CANTRIL, H. The pattern of human concerns.
Cantril, H. (1965). The pattern of human concerns. (No Title).
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale measure?
It measures current and future life satisfaction via a ladder analogy.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers studying adults.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes 1-2 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets adults, with broad applicability across cultures.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, its robust validity supports well-being and policy interventions.
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