Beyond Social Class – Psychometric Properties of the Spanish-Language Version of the Personal Relative Deprivation Scale and Its Associations With Intra- and Interpersonal Outcomes

Abstract

Abstract: The Personal Relative Deprivation Scale (PRDS; Callan et al., 2008 , 2011 ) captures feelings of dissatisfaction and resentment deriving from the judgment that one is deprived of personally relevant outcomes compared to what other (similar) individuals have. Despite its good psychometric properties in Western English-speaking samples, recent investigations on the generalization of the PRDS to other cultural contexts have shown inconsistencies in reproducing the unidimensional latent structure and high internal consistency of its scores. Using expert evaluations and empirical data from seven community samples ( N TOTAL = 1,985), this multi-study investigation developed and validated the Spanish-language version of the PRDS (SP-PRDS). Our instrument first demonstrated robust unidimensionality, invariance across gender and age groups, and high internal and temporal consistency. Furthermore, our investigation found that this measure exhibits a coherent network of correlates with intra- and interpersonal psychological outcomes. SP-PRDS scores were connected with reduced subjective and psychological well-being. They were also more strongly related to broader affective manifestations (high envy, anger, and hostility) than to more concrete behaviors (physical/verbal aggression, prosocial behaviors, and online trolling). Notably, these associations were independent of individuals’ social class. The SP-PRDS represents a promising tool for measuring PRD in Spain and, potentially, in other Spanish-speaking populations worldwide.