The Perceived Political Self-Efficacy Scale–Short Form (PPSE-S): A Validation Study in Three Mediterranean Countries.

The present study aims to develop a short form of the Perceived Political Self-Efficacy scale (PPSE-S). The psychometric properties of the short form were first investigated in an Italian sample (n = 697), and compared with those of the extended version. The cross-cultural replicability of the short form was then investigated in Spain (n = 354), and Greece (n = 270). Finally, the relations between the PPSE-S and several indicators of political participation were assessed in each country. Results from confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported the unidimensionality of the PPSE-S. Reliability and criterion validity of the short- and the full-length scales were found to be substantially equivalent. Multigroup CFA provided evidence of measurement invariance across Italy, Spain, and Greece. Perceived political efficacy was positively related to political engagement in a stable and consistent way across the three countries. In light of these results, the usefulness and applicability of the PPSE-S for large-scale surveys were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]