Development and validation of the Multidimensional Current Control Scale

The most commonly used perceived control scales focus on persistent general control beliefs or the control over personal reactions. These scales are not applicable to various adult groups and fail to represent main life domains. In addition, previous research shows that current control feelings explain health outcomes better than general control beliefs. This study aimed to develop a general current control scale based on the degree of perceived control at five main life domains, targeting various adult groups. Five main life domains (i.e., health, interpersonal relations, personal growth, economy, and societal issues) and their subsections were determined based on the perceived control literature. Five academics assessed the scale’s content validity, and its feasibility was tested via a pilot study. 376 participants (281 females, mean age 30.5) completed Demographic Information Form, the Multi-dimensional Current Control Scale (MCCS), the Domain General Perceived Control Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Psychological Wellbeing Scale online. Results show that the scale has a good degree of factor, convergent, and criterion validity. In addition, the scale has high internal reliability (a = .89) and test-retest reliability scores (r = .69) with a two-week interval. These findings helped us develop a multidimensional current control scale targeting various adult groups with good psychometric characteristics.