Development and Validation of the Critical Consciousness Scale

TLDR

The Critical Consciousness Scale (CCS) aims to unify fragmented conceptualizations and measurements of critical consciousness, addressing a key gap in the field. This article develops and validates a measure of critical consciousness, defined as the capacity of oppressed or marginalized people to critically analyze their social and political conditions, endorse societal equality, and act to change perceived inequities. The authors performed exploratory factor analysis on a diverse youth sample, identifying three internally consistent factors, and then confirmed the structure with confirmatory factor analysis on a new sample, producing a 22‑item scale. Strong model fit in Study 2 confirmed the three‑factor structure and finalized the 22‑item Critical Consciousness Scale.

Abstract

This article details the development and validation of a measure of critical consciousness, defined as the capacity of oppressed or marginalized people to critically analyze their social and political conditions, endorsement of societal equality, and action to change perceived inequities. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with a diverse sample of youth, resulting in three internally consistent factors: (a) Critical Reflection: Perceived Inequality, (b) Critical Reflection: Egalitarianism, and (c) Critical Action: Sociopolitical Participation. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was completed with a new sample of youth. Strong model fit estimates in Study 2 confirmed the factor structure of Study 1 and resulted in a final 22-item measure called the “Critical Consciousness Scale” (CCS). The CCS has the potential to unite and advance the fragmented conceptualization and measurement of critical consciousness, the primary motivation for the development of the scale.