Scale Overview
The The Defeat Scale – D Scale was developed by Paul Gilbert & Sue Allan (1998). It is designed to measure Defeat. The scale is intended for use with Adults (clinical and non-clinical).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Mostly (a lot), 4 = Always.
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 64. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low sense of defeat: 0 – 16
- Mild sense of defeat: 17 – 32
- Moderate sense of defeat: 33 – 48
- High sense of defeat: 49 – 64
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha 0.93 – 0.94.
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.