The Omnibus T-Scale
Faculty Trust
Our research has led us to conclude there are at least three dimensions of faculty trust – trust in the principal, trust in colleagues, and trust in clients (students and parents). Vulnerability, benevolence, reliability, competence, honesty, and openness characterize each of these dimensions of trust.
Reliability and Validity of the Omnibus T-Scale
The Omnibus T-Scale is a short operational measure of these three dimensions of trust, which can be used for either elementary or secondary schools.. The reliabilities of the three subscales typically range from .90 to .98. Factor analytic studies of the Omnibus T-Scale support the construct and discriminant validity of the concept.
Omnibus T-Scale
The latest version of the Omnibus T-Scale (26 Likert items) measures three subscales:
- Faculty Trust in the Principal
- Faculty Trust in Colleagues
- Faculty Trust in Clients
Scoring Key
Faculty Trust in the Principal – Items 1, 4*, 7, 9, 11*, 15, 18, 23*
Faculty Trust in Colleagues – Items 2, 5, 8*, 12, 13, 16, 19, 21
Faculty Trust in the Clients – Items 3, 6, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26*
*Items are reversed scored, that is, [1=6, 2=5, 3=4, 4=3, 5=2, 6=1]
For each school, first compute the average score for every item. Use these average item scores in the next set of computations to determine the faculty trust subtest scores for your school.
For each of the three subtests, compute the school score by adding the values for the items composing that scale and then dividing by the number of items. For example,
Faculty Trust in Clients(TCI) = Scores for items 3, 6, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26* are summed and divided by 10.
Faculty Trust in the Principal (TP) = Scores for items 1, 4*, 7, 9, 11*, 15, 18, 23* are summed and divided by 8.
Faculty Trust in Colleagues (TCo) = Scores for items 2, 5, 8*, 12, 13, 16, 19, 21 are summed and divided by 8.
Computing the Standardized Scores for the T-scales for purposes of comparison:
Convert the school subtest scores to standardized scores with a mean of 500 and a standard deviation of 100. Use the following formulas:
Standard Score for Trust in Clients (TCl) = 100(TCl-3.53)/.621+500
First compute the difference between your school score on (TCl) and the mean for the normative sample (TCl-3.53). Then multiply the difference by one hundred [100(TCl-3.53)]. Next divide the product by the standard deviation of the normative sample (.621). Then add 500 to the result. You have computed a standardized score Standard Score for Faculty Trust in Clients.
Standard Score for Trust in the Principal (TP) = 100(TP-4.42)/.725+500
Standard Score for Trust in Colleagues (TCo) = 100(TCo-4.46)/.443+500
You have standardized your school scores against the normative data provided in the Ohio sample. For example, if your school score is 700 on faculty trust in colleagues, it is two standard deviations above the average score on faculty trust in colleagues of all schools in the sample; that is, the school has more faculty trust in colleagues than 97% of the schools in the sample. You may recognize this system as the one used in reporting individual scores on the SAT, CEEB, and GRE. The range of these scores is presented below:
If the score is 200, it is lower than 99% of the schools.
If the score is 300, it is lower than 97% of the schools.
If the score is 400, it is lower than 84% of the schools.
If the score is 500, it is average.
If the score is 600, it is higher than 84% of the schools.
If the score is 700, it is higher than 97% of the schools.
If the score is 800, it is higher than 99% of the schools.
