I feel unique, therefore I am: The development and preliminary validation of the personal sense of uniqueness (PSU) scale

Abstract

Although the concept of uniqueness has always been special in psychology, there is no psychometric tool for measuring individuals' sense of uniqueness. The research reported herein aimed to develop and validate a self-report measurement tool to assess individuals' sense of uniqueness. Five studies were conducted to confirm the factor structure of the personal sense of uniqueness scale and to assess its construct validity. The results of the first (n = 274) and second (n = 676) studies showed that the sense of uniqueness is a one-dimensional construct. The results of the third study (n = 45) confirmed that the scores on this new measure are stable. The fourth (n = 138) and fifth (n = 148) studies showed that this one-dimensional construct was strongly related to positive mental health indicators as well as personality and basic psychological needs. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.