Scale Overview
The The Defeat Scale – D Scale was developed by Paul Gilbert, Sue Allan (1998). It is designed to measure Defeat and social rank. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
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 Defeat: 0 – 16
- Moderate Defeat: 17 – 32
- High Defeat: 33 – 48
- Very High Defeat: 49 – 64
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of 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.