Development and initial validation of a scale to measure momentary self-concept clarity

ABSTRACT

Several studies have suggested that momentary self-concept clarity (SCC) levels are important for emotion regulation and self-control processes, but these studies have used unvalidated measures of momentary SCC. Here, we report on the development and preliminary validation of a brief self-report scale, the Momentary Self-Concept Clarity Scale (M-SCCS). One hundred and twenty-two adults completed momentary SCC items 6-7 times per day for two weeks. Multilevel factor analyses suggested the M-SCCS has good factorial validity. The scale also showed excellent between-person reliability, fair within-person reliability, and patterns of criterion relations that resemble other self-report measures of SCC. There was little measurement reactivity over time. The M-SCCS may be useful for future experience-sampling studies aimed at uncovering short-term self-regulatory processes involving SCC.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-concept clarity
• experience sampling method
• ecological momentary assessment
• identity
• measurement

Disclosure statement

The authors do not have any conflict of interest related to this article.

Data and Materials Availability

The underlying research materials for this article can be accessed at https://osf.io/6j5yx/.

Notes

1. We thank an anonymous reviewer for suggesting this analysis.

Additional information

Funding

We received funding from a Murchison Undergraduate Research Fellowship to Juyoung Yun and from a Mach Undergraduate Fellowship to Alec C. Trahan;Trinity University;