Toward a Standard Measure of Gun Ownership: A Methodological and Theoretical Quandary in Firearm Research

One limitation of the literature on gun ownership is a lack of consensus regarding how to operationalize the dependent variable. Consequently, gun measures vary widely across studies, and findings about the prevalence and predictors of gun ownership are inconsistent. In the current study, we endeavor to develop an empirically supported, standard measure of gun ownership. First, utilizing data from a national sample of the U.S. population, we analyze the relative validity of household versus personal measures of gun ownership and critically appraise the value of accounting for gun quantity and the purpose of ownership. Second, per our findings, we recommend a short set of survey questions as the standard measure of gun ownership. These questions (1) differentiate non-owners, personal gun owners, and household gun owners; (2) account for the number of firearms owned; and (3) categorize owners by motivation (protective vs. non-protective).