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Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study
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About Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study
Scale Name
Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study
Author Details
Robert J. Sampson, Jeffrey D. Morenoff, and Felton Earls (1999)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study, developed by Robert J. Sampson, Jeffrey D. Morenoff, and Felton Earls in 1999, is a resident-report questionnaire designed to measure general aspects of social cohesion and neighborhood control in situations involving children, such as adults intervening to guide or discipline youth. Targeting urban residents aged 18 and older, the scale was part of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, a longitudinal study examining community influences on youth development. Cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005), it aligns with collective efficacy theory (Sampson et al., 1997) and social disorganization theory (Shaw & McKay, 1942), assessing how community oversight fosters youth well-being and reduces delinquency.
The scale comprises 5 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = “very unlikely” to 5 = “very likely”). Examples include “Neighbors would intervene if children were skipping school” and “Adults in my neighborhood would correct a child’s misbehavior.” Scores are summed (range: 5-25), with higher scores indicating stronger social control. Validated in urban adult samples, it is used to assess community oversight, predict positive youth outcomes, and inform community-based interventions.
Psychologists, sociologists, and public health researchers use the scale to evaluate neighborhood social control, study protective factors for youth, and design programs to enhance community supervision. Its focus on child-specific control 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 Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods publications, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses neighborhood oversight of children to support community and youth well-being, emphasizing anonymity and using clear, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking residents to rate the likelihood of neighbors intervening in child-related situations over the past month, using the 5-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes, given the 5-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 Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study has moderate psychometric properties, as reported in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.72, 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 youth delinquency (r ≈ -0.20 to -0.40). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like individual income (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict positive youth outcomes and lower crime rates in longitudinal studies. Factor analyses are not detailed, but the scale’s focus on child-specific social control 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
03-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 Social Control of Children – Chicago Neighborhood Study measure?
It measures the likelihood of neighbors intervening to guide or discipline children.
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 1-2 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 = 0.72) suggests use with validated measures.
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