PSE reduced and responsive scales

Nick Bailey

This paper explores whether it is possible to measure deprivation more efficiently using a reduced scale or subset of items from the main PSE set of items used in the deprivation index. If this was possible, it would enable a wider use of deprivation measures in surveys concerned primarily with other issues. The paper finds that a reduced scale with 11 items each for adults and for children correlates very highly with the full scales (of 22 and 24 items respecitvely) and that they can very accurately identify individuals regarded as deprived at different points on the full scale  – at least down to the level of the most deprived 15 per cent.

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