Perceived Social Risk Scale: development and validation in relation to social status and depression in the UK

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Social risk-taking is a complex behavior influenced by various psychological factors.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the multidimensional nature of perceived social risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Perceived Social Risk Scale (PSRS) for assessing perceptions of socially risky behaviors.
• To examine the relationship between PSRS scores and psychological measures like perceived social status and depressive symptoms in a UK sample.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
• Data collected from 640 UK participants (aged 18-65) recruited via university and online platforms.
• Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity of the PSRS were assessed against measures of rejection sensitivity, social status, depression, and peer influence.

Main Results:

• The PSRS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α=0.96) and good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.70).
• Factor analysis identified four dimensions of social risk: authenticity/integrity, social assertiveness, reservedness, and social non-conformity.
• Higher PSRS scores correlated with increased rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and lower resistance to peer influence. Perceived social status moderated the link between PSRS scores and depression.

Conclusions:

• Social risk is a multidimensional construct, not uniform.
• The PSRS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing these multidimensional aspects of social risk-taking.
• Perceived social status plays a significant role in the relationship between social risk perception and depressive symptoms.