Exploring the COMPIN-10 and SUCOMP-10 Scales: Measuring Inferiority and Superiority Complexes Across Nine Countries
Authors
Đorđe Čekrlija
Institute for Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Faculty of philosophy, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Julie Aitken Schermer
Departments of Psychology and Management & Organizational Studies, Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Ilija Dojčinovski
International Psychoanalytic University in Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Nikola Miloš Rokvić
Dr. Lazar Vrkatić Faculty of Law and Business Study, Novi Sad, Serbia
Yamen Hrekes
Institute for Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
Bogdan Kalagurka
Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
Lyudmyla Kolisnyk
Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
Nurfitriany Fakhri
Makassar State University, Makassar, Indonesia
Shereena Naranath Mohammedali
University of Calicut, Kerala, India
Vojin Striković
Municipality of Nikšić, Nikšić, Montenegro
Ivan Zečević
Neuropsychiatric Hospital Dr. Ivan Barbot, Popovača, Croatia
This study introduces the short Inferiority Complex (COMPIN-10) and Superiority Complex (SUCOMP-10) scales. Participants (N = 4,010; 57% women), aged between 18 and 77 years (M = 29.68, SD = 10.62), were recruited from nine countries and completed the scales online in their native languages. The reliability, dimensionality, and convergent validity of the scales were examined. Satisfactory reliability coefficients were confirmed for both scales. The unidimensional structure of the COMPIN-10 scale was supported across country samples, whereas the SUCOMP10 scale did not exhibit a unidimensional structure. Additionally, the results indicated that the COMPIN-10 scale only achieved loading invariance, while the SUCOMP-10 scale lacked invariance across countries. The inferiority scores correlated negatively with self-esteem measures, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and the superiority scores correlated positively with self-esteem measures, extraversion, and conscientiousness, confirming the convergent validity of both scales in the respective country samples. The results of this multi-country study indicate that the COMPIN-10 scale is a more robust research instrument; however, further revision and refinement of both scales is recommended.
