Calling and Vocation Questionnaire (CVQ)
PsychologyReliability: alpha 0.85–0.90 across subscales3 sample items
About this scale
A 24-item measure of calling along three dimensions (transcendent summons, purposeful work, prosocial orientation), each split into 'presence of' and 'search for' calling. Widely used in vocational psychology and meaningful-work research.
Sample item(s)
“I believe that I have been called to my current line of work.”
“I am trying to figure out my calling in my career.”
“Making a difference for others is the primary motivation in my career.”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.85–0.90 across subscales. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Brief Calling Scale (BCS) is a 4-item version when length is constrained.
Source & citation
Dik, B. J., Eldridge, B. M., Steger, M. F., & Duffy, R. D. (2012): Development and validation of the Calling and Vocation Questionnaire (CVQ) and Brief Calling Scale (BCS). Journal of Career Assessment, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 242–263.
Dik, Eldridge, Steger & Duffy (2012): CVQ and BCS. JCA, 20(3), 242–263.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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