Validating the Japanese version of Submissive Behaviour Scale and its relation to depressive-cognitive characteristics.

Background: This study sought to validate the Japanese version of the Submissive Behaviour Scale (SBS) and to explore the relationships between submissive behavior, depression, and depression-related cognitive characteristics in a Japanese population.Method: A sample of 499 participants was recruited through an online platform to complete the Japanese version of the SBS, Center for Epidemiologic Study for Depression Scale (CES-D), Social Comparison Scale (SCS), Rumination Response Scale (RRS), and Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the scale's structure, while correlation analyses explored the associations between submissive behavior and other psychological variables.Result: The Japanese version of the SBS demonstrated strong reliability (α = .855) and a consistent single-factor structure, similar to its original version. Submissive behavior was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (r = .527, p < .001) and subfactors of SCS (r < -.512, p < .001). The analysis also showed that submissive behavior was correlated with subscales of both rumination and emotional regulation strategies, indicating its pervasive impact on depression-related cognitive processes. Discussion: The findings affirm the validity of the Japanese version of the SBS and highlight the complex relationship between submissive behavior, depression, and cognitive characteristics related to depression within a Japanese context. The results bolster the applicability of the Social Rank Theory by demonstrating its relevance within the Japanese context. Furthermore, this research suggests that social defeat, as conceptualized in the Social Rank Theory, may precipitate not only submissive behavior but also influence cognitive processes related to depression.