ADAPTATION OF THE BENIGN AND MALICIOUS ENVY SCALE (BeMaS) INTO THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE: PSYCHOMETRIC INDICATORS ANALYSIS

Abstract

The aim of the work is to test and validate the Benign and Malicious Envy Scale (BeMaS) (Lange & Crusius, 2015) among a Ukrainian sample. The study involved 484 people aged 17 to 58 years (M = 24.5), 17.2% men and 82.8% women. The α-Cronbach index for BeMaS is 0.83 for the benign envy scale and 0.84 for the malignant envy scale, indicating a high level of homogeneity. As a result of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory CFA analysis, two factors were identified in the BeMaS methodology: benign and malignant envy. The two-factor structure is consistent with conceptualizing envy not as a unidimensional construct, but as a two-dimensional construct that includes a benign and a malicious form of envy. Researchers suggest distinguishing malicious envy, which is characterized by hostility toward others of higher status, and benign envy, which motivates people to self-improvement instead of causing feelings of ill will (Crusius and Lange, 2014; Falcon, 2015). Both subscales were found to be reliable and internally consistent. The test reliability of BeMaS testifies to the high level of reliability of the Ukrainian version. The benign envy scale shows direct correlations with constructive coping (positive reformulation, personal growth, active coping, use of emotional social support), and personal resilience. Instead, the malicious envy scale has direct correlations with destructive coping strategies, including negative venting, denial, behavioral avoidance, and self-blame, as well as a direct correlation with depression and an inverse correlation with resilience. Both benign and malicious envy scales are directly related to narcissistic personality strategies: admiration and rivalry. BeMaS has a two-factor structure, good internal, discriminant, and predictive validity, and can serve as a measure of envy in Ukrainian.