Psychological topics, Vol. 34 No. 2, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31820/pt.34.2.6
Exploring the COMPIN-10 and SUCOMP-10 Scales: Measuring Inferiority and Superiority Complexes Across Nine Countries
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
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
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 scalesin 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.
Keywords
inferiority complex; superiority complex; COMPIN-10 scale; SUCOMP-10 scale; psychometric properties; Adler
Hrčak ID:
333783
URI
Publication date:
16.7.2025.
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