Scale Overview
The Social Comparison Scale (SCS) was developed by Sandra Allan & Paul Gilbert (1995). It is designed to measure Social Rank and Relative Social Standing. The scale is intended for use with Adults (clinical and non-clinical).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 11 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Strongly identify with left-side descriptor), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5 (Average), 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9, 10 = 10 (Strongly identify with right-side descriptor).
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 11 to 110. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low social rank (feelings of inferiority and low social standing): 11 – 44
- Average social rank: 45 – 76
- High social rank (feelings of superiority and high social standing): 77 – 110
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of .88-.96 (clinical) and .90-.91 (student).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.