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Measuring Sense of Community: Beyond Local Boundaries

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Abstract

One hundred and thirty-three male addicts and alcoholics completed psychometric measures of psychological sense of community, stress, social support, and hope. Factor analysis of item responses (Varimax rotation) on the sense of community scale produced a three-factor solution, with Factor 1 (12 items) labeled Mission, assessing the perception that one is actively engaged with others in the pursuit of a common purpose; Factor 2 (12 items) labeled Reciprocal Responsibility, referring to the perception that there are acknowledged members of an ongoing group who are mutually responsible to each other; and Factor 3 (6 items) labeled Disharmony, representing dissatisfaction with aspects of community experience. The resulting composite scale was significantly correlated with a standardized measure of social support, and serves to measure the psychological sense of community construct beyond the context of local residence.

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Bishop, P.D., Chertok, F. & Jason, L.A. Measuring Sense of Community: Beyond Local Boundaries. The Journal of Primary Prevention 18, 193–212 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024690424655

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