Striving to Avoid Inferiority Scale – Part 1 (SAIS-P1)
Measures beliefs about the need to strive and compete to avoid inferiority, alongside feelings of secure non-striving.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Striving to Avoid Inferiority Scale – Part 1 (SAIS-P1) was developed by Paul Gilbert, Claire Broomhead, Chris Irons, Ken McEwan, Rachel Bellew, Alastair Mills, Caroline Gale, Rebecca Knibb (2007). It is designed to measure Striving to avoid inferiority. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 31 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Insecure striving, Secure non-striving.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Insecure striving | 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,14,15,17,18,19,20,22,23,25,27,30,31 | 19 |
| Secure non-striving | 2,4,6,8,10,12,16,21,24,26,28,29 | 12 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Mostly, 4 = Always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 76. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Insecure Striving: 0 – 25
- Moderate Insecure Striving: 26 – 50
- High Insecure Striving: 51 – 76
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha: .84 (Insecure striving), .69 (Secure non-striving).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.