The study aimed to develop and validate the Perceived Social Position among Peers Questionnaire (PSPPQ), a brief instrument designed to assess how young people perceive prestige-based social position within peer groups, defined as peer-conferred influence grounded in respect and competence. Unlike existing measures, the PSPPQ focuses on specific, everyday social situations rather than abstract or emotionally charged concepts. It consists of six items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Two independent samples of Polish primary school students aged 9 to 15 participated in the validation process: Study 1 included 399 students (53.9% girls), and Study 2 included 1,623 students (54.6% girls). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a unidimensional structure, invariant across gender and grade levels. The scale demonstrated high reliability and measurement precision. Convergent validity was supported through significant positive correlations with peer popularity (self-rated and peer-nominated), likability, peer educational support, interpersonal competence, social self-efficacy, and perceived peer inclusion. Negative correlations were observed with loneliness, victimization, and academic anxiety. Together, the findings suggest that the PSPPQ is a psychometrically sound and developmentally appropriate tool for assessing perceived prestige-based social position within peer groups in late childhood and early adolescence, with potential applications in both research and educational practice.
Grygiel et al. (Tue,) studied this question.