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Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene
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About Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene
Scale Name
Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene
Author Details
Douglas D. Perkins, Paul Florin, and David M. Rich (1990), adapted by the Houston Community Demonstration Project (1993)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene scale, originally developed by Douglas D. Perkins, Paul Florin, and David M. Rich in 1990 and adapted by the Houston Community Demonstration Project in 1993, is a resident-report questionnaire designed to measure the perceived likelihood that someone in the neighborhood will intervene when faced with a problem, such as breaking up a fight or stopping drug selling. Targeting urban residents aged 18 and older, the scale assesses collective efficacy and community responsiveness to social issues. Cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005), it aligns with collective efficacy theory (Sampson et al., 1997) and social disorganization theory (Shaw & McKay, 1942), evaluating how willingness to act promotes community safety and cohesion.
The scale comprises 7 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = “very unlikely” to 5 = “very likely”). Examples include “Someone in my neighborhood would break up a fight” and “Neighbors would intervene to stop drug selling.” Scores are summed (range: 7-35), with higher scores indicating greater perceived willingness to intervene. Validated in urban adult samples, it is used to assess community engagement, predict crime reduction, and inform community-based interventions.
Psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers use the scale to evaluate perceptions of collective action, study protective factors for community safety, and design programs to enhance neighborhood responsiveness. Its focus on intervention behavior is a strength, but moderate reliability and English-only availability may limit reliability and cross-cultural use.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths or Houston Community Demonstration Project publications, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses the likelihood of neighbors intervening in community problems to support safety and well-being, emphasizing anonymity and using clear, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking residents to rate the likelihood of intervention in neighborhood issues over the past month, using the 5-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 2-3 minutes, given the 7-item format.
- Administer in a community, household, or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration may be used for residents with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene scale has moderate psychometric properties, as reported in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.71, indicating reasonable item cohesion, though limited by the small number of items. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar collective efficacy measures (r ≈ 0.60-0.80 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as increased community cohesion (r ≈ 0.30-0.50) and reduced neighborhood crime (r ≈ -0.20 to -0.40). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like individual socioeconomic status (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict community safety outcomes in urban studies. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s focus on intervention behavior supports construct validity. The moderate reliability suggests cautious use, ideally paired with validated measures like the Collective Efficacy scale (Sampson et al., 1997).
Available Versions
06-Items
Reference
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Neighborhood Action/Willingness to Intervene scale measure?
It measures the perceived likelihood of neighbors intervening in community problems.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers studying urban residents aged 18+.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 2-3 minutes.
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets urban residents aged 18 and older.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, but moderate reliability (α = 0.71) suggests use with validated measures.
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