Description

The Shepherd Scale is a 38-item self-report psychometric instrument developed by Bassett and colleagues in 1981 to assess Christian identity. Unlike general measures of religiosity or psychological well-being, it focuses on religious beliefs, values, and behaviors associated with the Christian way of life.

The instrument is based on an explicitly biblical conceptualization of Christian faith. Its name refers to the biblical distinction between “sheep and goats” presented in the Gospel of Matthew.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Shepherd Scale is to systematically assess the extent to which individuals identify with Christian beliefs and practices. It examines both the acceptance of central theological beliefs and the expression of values, attitudes, and behaviors considered consistent with Christian life.

The instrument may be used in the psychology of religion and in studies investigating the relationship of Christian identity with mental health, interpersonal relationships, moral values, social behavior, and other psychological variables.

Structure and Scoring

The original scale comprises two main conceptual dimensions:

  • Religious beliefs: Acceptance of central Christian and theological beliefs.
  • Christian walk: Behaviors, values, and attitudes considered consistent with Christian faith.

Responses are recorded on a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from “not true” to “true.” The total score may range from 38 to 152, with higher scores indicating a stronger Christian identity as defined by the instrument’s theoretical framework. The scoring instructions of the specific version should be consulted, particularly regarding any reverse-scored items.

Statistical Analysis

Analysis may include descriptive statistics, examination of score distributions, and estimation of internal consistency. The instrument’s underlying structure can be investigated using exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis.

Differences between demographic, cultural, or religious groups may be evaluated using appropriate parametric or nonparametric tests. Relationships between Christian identity and psychological or social variables may be examined through correlation, regression, or structural equation modelling.

Psychometric Properties

Initial studies provided evidence of satisfactory reliability and validity. Subsequent factor-analytic research supported the presence of a broader Christian identity dimension but did not fully confirm the original division of the scale into separate subscales.

When the scale is administered in a different linguistic, cultural, or denominational context, its psychometric properties should be reassessed. This evaluation should include internal consistency, factorial validity, convergent validity, and measurement invariance.

Findings should always be interpreted within the religious and cultural context of the sample. The Shepherd Scale is intended for research purposes and should not be used for clinical diagnosis or for making evaluative judgments about an individual’s personal faith.

References

Bassett, R. L., Sadler, R. D., Kobischen, E. E., Skiff, D. M., Merrill, I. J., Atwater, B. J., & Livermore, P. W. (1981). The Shepherd Scale: Separating the sheep from the goats. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 9(4), 335–351.

Pecnik, J. A., & Epperson, D. L. (1985). A factor analysis and further validation of the Shepherd Scale. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 13(1), 42–49.