The MASC: A novel multidimensional measure of self-control.

Abstract

The current study seeks to create a brief survey measure of self-control that differentiates perceived capacity from internal and external motivation. Items were adapted from the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS; Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004) and administered through 2 online surveys to 347 students and 1 online survey to 192 participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk. The Multidimensional Assessment of Self-Control showed strong evidence for the reliability of test scores and the validity of the interpretation of test scores. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 3-factor structure consistent with the underlying theoretical model. The final 15-item measure demonstrated excellent model fit. The 3 subscales related to various self-reported behavioral outcomes and accounted for additional variance beyond that accounted for by the BSCS. Although more research in this area is needed, the current study demonstrates the importance of studying multiple aspects of self-control, including self-control motivation. Future research might use this measure to elucidate mechanisms involved in self-control for various health-risk and protective behaviors. Such findings might ultimately inform tailoring of prevention and intervention efforts to be more specific, effective, and efficient.

Challenges in the conceptualization of trait self‐control as a psychological construct

“…On the level of measurement, the idea that different theoretical notions need to be considered is also gaining traction. Some researchers have suggested that the Self‐Control Scale (Tangney et al., 2004) is not uni‐ but multidimensional (e.g., Hagger et al., 2021; Lindner et al., 2015; see also Papova & Corbin, 2020). One distinction that emerged refers to the ability to initiate actions conducive to goal attainment versus the ability to stop actions that are maladaptive (de Boer et al., 2011; de Ridder et al., 2011).…”

“…Integrating motivation and ability would also advance trait self‐control measurement. Prominent self‐report measures, such as the Self‐Control Scale (Tangney et al., 2004), include items that refer to ability‐related (e.g., “I am good at resisting temptation”) and motivational (e.g., “I am not easily discouraged”) aspects but do not separate the two, for example, in the form of specific subscales (but see Papova & Corbin, 2020). Another prominent way to measure trait self‐control is to use behavioral inhibition tasks such as the Stroop (1935) or the Flanker task (Eriksen & Eriksen, 1974).…”