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An English-language adaptation and validation of the Political Efficacy Short Scale (PESS)
[journal article]
Abstract The Political Efficacy Short Scale (PESS) is the English-language adaptation of the German-language Political Efficacy Kurzskala (PEKS); it measures perceived political efficacy with four items. PESS comprises two subscales - internal and external political efficacy - with two items each. Internal p... view more
The Political Efficacy Short Scale (PESS) is the English-language adaptation of the German-language Political Efficacy Kurzskala (PEKS); it measures perceived political efficacy with four items. PESS comprises two subscales - internal and external political efficacy - with two items each. Internal political efficacy refers to the belief in one’s own political effectiveness; external political efficacy refers to the belief in the responsiveness of the political system to citizens' concerns. Completion time for all four items is less than 30 s. The items of the German-language source version were translated into English using the TRAPD approach. The present study empirically validated the English-language adaptation (PESS) based on a heterogeneous quota sample in the UK. The results show that the reliability and validity coefficients of the English-language adaptation are sufficiently high and that they are comparable to those of the German-language source version. In addition, the scale showed strict measurement invariance (i.e., equal loadings, intercepts, and uniquenesses) when comparing the UK and Germany, which indicates the comparability of manifest scale scores (means and variances) and correlations across the two nations. As a short scale, PESS lends itself particularly to the measurement of political efficacy in survey contexts in which assessment time or questionnaire space is limited. It is applicable in a variety of research disciplines, including political science, sociology, psychology, and economics.... view less
Keywords
political participation; political interest; political behavior; self-efficacy; measurement; scale construction; construct; validity; locus of control; optimism; pessimism; confidence; satisfaction with life
Classification
Methods and Techniques of Data Collection and Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Computer Methods
Personality Psychology
Free Keywords
Political Efficacy Short Scale; Personal political effectiveness; Responsiveness of the political system; English-language adaptation; Validation study in the UK
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 1-12
Journal
Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences, 3 (2021)
ISSN
2523-8930
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed