Sense of Control Scale (SC)

Abstract

The Sense of Control Scale (SC) is a 12-item psychometric instrument developed by Margie E. Lachman and Suzanne L. Weaver. It is designed to measure an individual’s generalized belief regarding the extent to which they can influence outcomes in their life. This scale is a core component of the Midlife Development Inventory (MIDI) and is operationalized across two distinct, yet related, dimensions: Personal Mastery and Perceived Constraints. The SC uses a 7-point Likert scale response format, making it suitable for large-scale epidemiological and psychological studies, particularly concerning aging and well-being.

Keywords

Sense of Control, Personal Mastery, Perceived Constraints, Locus of Control, Midlife Development Inventory, MIDI, Lachman, psychological well-being.

Authors

Margie E. Lachman, Suzanne L. Weaver.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sense of Control Scale (SC) is to quantify individual differences in generalized control beliefs. It seeks to assess how strongly people believe they possess the efficacy (mastery) to achieve desired goals and, conversely, how strongly they perceive external factors or limitations (constraints) hindering their efforts. This differentiation is crucial for understanding how control beliefs moderate the relationship between social factors, health, and psychological adjustment across the adult life span.

The scale was specifically utilized in the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Development, particularly within the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study, to examine sociodemographic variations in control beliefs and their impact on health outcomes in midlife populations.

Construct

The SC measures the overarching construct of perceived control, which is the belief that one can determine one’s own internal states and behavior, influence one’s environment, and/or bring about desired outcomes. Following the framework established by Lachman and colleagues, this general construct is divided into two correlated subscales:

• Personal Mastery: This dimension reflects the positive, internal aspect of control, focusing on an individual’s sense of competence, efficacy, and ability to overcome obstacles (e.g., “I can do just about anything I really set my mind to.”).
• Perceived Constraints: This dimension captures the negative, external aspect of control, reflecting the degree to which individuals feel external factors, circumstances, or other people limit their actions and outcomes. This construct is closely related to external locus of control beliefs.

The scale utilizes 12 items to capture these two facets, providing researchers with granular data on both proactive beliefs (Mastery) and reactive feelings of limitation (Constraints).

Validity

The SC possesses strong theoretical and empirical grounding, having been extensively employed in large-scale, longitudinal studies such as the MacArthur Studies of Midlife. The construct validity is established by the scale’s clear factor structure, which successfully separates Personal Mastery and Perceived Constraints as distinct components of perceived control.

Further evidence of validity is demonstrated through its consistent findings in predicting crucial life outcomes. Studies using the SC, such as those published by Lachman and Weaver (1998), show that control beliefs act as significant moderators of social class differences in health and well-being, confirming the scale’s ecological and predictive validity in middle-aged and older adult populations.

Reliability

The reliability of the Sense of Control Scale is assessed using internal consistency measures, specifically Cronbach’s alpha, indicating how closely related the items within each subscale are. The original technical report indicated acceptable to strong reliability for both subscales based on the sample data:

• Personal Mastery: Internal consistency (alpha) was reported as 0.70.
• Perceived Constraints: Internal consistency (alpha) was reported as 0.86.

These values suggest that the items forming the Perceived Constraints subscale exhibit strong internal coherence, while the Personal Mastery subscale maintains an acceptable level of reliability for research purposes.

Factor Analysis

The SC is designed as a multidimensional scale, measuring two primary factors contributing to the overall sense of control. Factor analysis confirms the separation of the 12 items into two distinct, though often correlated, factors: Personal Mastery and Perceived Constraints.

The resulting factor structure dictates the scoring methodology. The items loading onto the Personal Mastery factor are Questions 3, 6, 8, and 12. The items loading onto the Perceived Constraints factor are Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11. This clear distinction allows researchers to examine the unique effects of these two dimensions on variables such as stress, coping mechanisms, and physical health.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological test.

Format: 12 items utilizing a 7-point Likert response scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (used extensively in U.S. studies like MIDUS).

Population Group: General adult population, specifically focused on midlife and older adults.

Age Group: Middle adulthood (typically 40-65) and beyond.

Population Details: Developed and validated within the context of the Midlife Development Inventory (MIDI) and the MacArthur Studies of Midlife, focusing on diverse sociodemographic samples.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their level of agreement with each statement using the following 7-point scale:

• 1 – Disagree strongly
• 2 – Disagree somewhat
• 3 – Disagree a little
• 4 – Don’t know
• 5 – Agree a little
• 6 – Agree somewhat
• 7 – Agree Strongly

Keywords

Control beliefs, mastery, constraints, midlife, aging, psychology, well-being, psychological assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed as part of the Midlife Development Inventory (MIDI) research project, with the technical report detailing its construction published in 1997. The scale is widely used in non-commercial academic research.

The original PDF containing the instrument and scoring details can be downloaded here: http://www.brandeis.edu/roybal/docs/MIDI%20Sense%20of%20Control_website_PDF.pdf

Reference’s

• Lachman, M. E., & Weaver, S. L. (1998). Sociodemographic variations in the sense of control by domain: Findings from the MacArthur studies of midlife. Psychology and Aging, 13, 553-562.
• Lachman, M. E., & Weaver, S. L. (1998). The sense of control as a moderator of social class differences in health and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 763-773.
• Lachman, M. E., & Burack, O. R. (1993). Planning and control processes across the life span: An overview. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 16, 131 – 143.
• Lachman ME, Weaver SL. Technical report. Brandies University; Waltham, MA: 1997. Midlife Development Inventory [MIDI] Personality scales: Scale construction and scoring.

Items of the Sense of Control Scale (SC)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. There is little I can do to change many of the important things in my life.
2. I often feel helpless in dealing with the problems of life.
3. I can do just about anything I really set my mind to.
4. Other people determine most of what I can and cannot do.
5. What happens to me in the future mostly depends on me.
6. When I really want to do something‚ I usually find a way to succeed at it.
7. There are many things that interfere with what I want to do.
8. Whether or not I am able to get what I want is in my own hands.
9. I have little control over the things that happen to me.
10. There is really no way I can solve all of the problems I have.
11. Sometimes I feel that I’m being pushed around in life.
12. What happens in my life is often beyond my control.