Scale Overview
The Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale – PSPS was developed by Eric Stice (2001). It is designed to measure Perceived sociocultural pressure to be thin. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and young adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 10 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Peer Pressure, Family Pressure, Dating Pressure, Media Pressure.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Peer Pressure |
1,2,10 |
3 |
| Family Pressure |
3,4,9 |
3 |
| Dating Pressure |
5,6 |
2 |
| Media Pressure |
7,8 |
2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = None, 2 = 2, 3 = Some, 4 = 4, 5 = A lot.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low perceived pressure: 1 – 2
- Moderate perceived pressure: 2 – 4
- High perceived pressure: 4 – 5
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.85-0.92.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.