Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ)

Abstract

The Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ) is a specialized instrument developed by Marshall (1998, 2001) designed to assess an individual’s subjective feeling of being valued, noticed, and needed by significant people in their lives. This measure operationalizes the concept of Mattering, which is crucial for psychological well-being and social integration. The MTOQ is highly adaptable, allowing researchers to specify the target group (e.g., parents, friends, or romantic partners) to whom the respondent feels they matter. It moves beyond simple attachment by focusing on the active sense of importance and contribution within specific relationships.

Keywords

Mattering, perceived mattering, social psychology, self-concept, adolescence, relational valuation, self-esteem, psychological construct, relationship quality.

Authors

Marshall, S. K.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the MTOQ is to provide a quantitative measure of perceived Mattering within specific relational contexts. It aims to capture the degree to which an individual believes they occupy a meaningful position in the emotional and cognitive lives of others. The scale is particularly useful in developmental and social psychology research for linking the feeling of mattering to outcomes such as self-esteem, depression, academic success, and overall adjustment during critical life stages, such as adolescence and young adulthood.

The instrument allows for targeted assessment, enabling researchers to distinguish between mattering to different relational figures (e.g., mattering to parents versus mattering to peers). By using open fields (represented by “______” in the items), the scale maintains flexibility while maintaining a consistent structure for measuring core components of relational importance.

Construct

The MTOQ measures the psychological construct of Perceived Mattering. This construct, foundational to social psychology, suggests that individuals have a fundamental need to believe that they are significant to others. Marshall’s conceptualization of mattering, building on earlier work by Rosenberg and McCullough (1981), typically incorporates several dimensions:

• Awareness: The belief that others pay attention to the individual and notice their actions and feelings.

• Importance/Need: The feeling that one is needed or relied upon by others.

• Reliance: The belief that others would miss the individual if they were absent.

• Ego-Extension: The perception that one is important enough to factor into the thoughts and concerns of others.

The scale items directly address these dimensions, providing a comprehensive assessment of relational value rather than just general support or acceptance.

Validity

The MTOQ has demonstrated strong evidence for construct validation across multiple studies, particularly within adolescent and young adult populations. Marshall’s 1998 dissertation and subsequent 2001 publication focused specifically on establishing the validity of the measure in relation to established psychological constructs. Research has consistently shown that the MTOQ scores are positively correlated with measures of self-esteem, self-worth, and life satisfaction, while negatively correlated with measures of depression, hopelessness, and psychological distress. This pattern supports its convergent and discriminant validity.

Further studies, such as those examining mattering in romantic relationships (Mak & Marshall, 2004), have extended its utility and confirmed its ability to differentiate high and low levels of perceived relational importance, providing strong evidence for its overall theoretical soundness and applicability.

Reliability

Studies employing the MTOQ have reported high internal consistency, indicating strong Reliability. Marshall (2001) reported favorable Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, often exceeding the standard threshold of .80, for both the mattering to parents subscale and the mattering to friends subscale when used with adolescents. The high internal consistency suggests that the items within the scale measure a unified underlying construct of perceived importance.

While specific test-retest reliability data might vary depending on the population and time interval, the consistent reporting of strong internal consistency in peer-reviewed literature confirms the MTOQ as a robust instrument for measuring stable individual differences in perceived mattering.

Factor Analysis

The original development and construct validation of the MTOQ involved factor analytic techniques, typically supporting a single, unitary factor of general perceived mattering when used to measure overall relational importance. However, when applied specifically to distinct relational targets (e.g., parents vs. friends), the scale functions as a multi-target measure, where the items consistently load together within each specified relational context.

Marshall (2001) confirmed that the items effectively capture the core components of the construct. While researchers often adapt the instrument to create specific subscales corresponding to the various dimensions of mattering (e.g., perceived attention, perceived dependence), the core structure generally supports the coherence of the items in measuring the feeling of being significant to the designated other.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire

Format: Mixed response format, including a Likert-type scale for most items and a ranking scale for specific items related to cognitive salience (e.g., where the respondent falls on a list of things the target thinks about).

Language Available: Primarily English (Translations and adaptations may exist in other academic contexts).

Population Group: General population, with specific emphasis on relational dynamics.

Age Group: Adolescents, young adults, and adults (used effectively across ages where key relational bonds are central).

Population Details: The scale was initially validated heavily among middle school and high school students, examining mattering to parents and friends. Subsequent research extended its use to college students and young adults focusing on romantic relationships.

Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to consider a specific person or group (e.g., “my parents,” “my best friend,” or “this person”) when answering the items. For the Likert-type items, the standard scoring often employs a 5-point scale where (1) = Not Much, (3) = Somewhat, and (5) = A lot. Higher scores indicate a greater sense of perceived mattering.

Keywords

Relational psychology, psychological measurement, self-worth, adolescence development, social support, Mattering, psychological assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not publicly provided in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not publicly provided in source materials.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence is typically handled through the author’s academic institution (S. K. Marshall, likely affiliated with the University of British Columbia based on related work).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was initially developed and validated in 1998 (dissertation) and published in 2001 (journal article). As a psychological measure published in academic journals, the MTOQ is generally available for non-commercial academic research purposes, often requiring direct permission from the author for use or modification. There is typically no fee associated with using the instrument in academic settings, provided appropriate citation is given.

The original dissertation detailing the instrument can be found via PDF links, which provide access to the instrument details and validation data. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0032/NQ27460.pdf

Reference’s

• Marshall‚ S. K. (1998). Mattering attitudes: Validating the construct. Dissertation Abstracts International‚ 59(6)‚ 3121B.

• Marshall‚ S. K. (2001). Do I matter? Construct validation of adolescents’ perceived mattering to parents and friends. Journal of Adolescence‚ 24: 473-490.

• Mak‚ L.‚ & Marshall‚ S. K. (2004). Perceived mattering in young adults’ romantic relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships‚ 21(4): 469-486.

Items of the Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ)

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

1.    I feel special to my ______.

2.    I am needed by my ______.

3.    I am missed by my ______ when I am away.

4.    When I talk‚ my ______ try to understand what I am saying.

5.    I am interesting to my ______.

6.    My ______ notice my feelings.

7.    My ______ give me credit when I do well.

8.    My ______ notice when I need help.

9.    I matter to my ______.

10.People have many things to think about. If your ____ made a list of all the things they think about where do you think you’d be on the list?

Top 5-4-3-2-1 Bottom

11.If your _____ made a list of all the things s/he cares about‚ where do you think you’d be on the list?

Top 5-4-3-2-1 Bottom

4. My _____ notices when I do things wrong.

5. When I talk‚ my _____ notices what I Say

6. I am interesting to my _____

12. People sometimes worry about things. If your _____ made a list of al1 the things s/he worries about‚ where do you think you’d be on the list?

1.    I feel special to this person

2.    I am needed by this person

3.    I am missed by this person when I am away

4.    When I talk‚ this person tries to understand what I am saying

5.    I am interesting to this person

6.    This person notices my feelings

7.    This person gives me credit when I do well

8.    This person notices when I need help

9.    I matter to this person

10.People have many things to think about. If this person made a list of all the things s/he thinks about where do you think you’d be on the list?

Top 5-4-3-2-1 Bottom

11.If this person made a list of all the things s/he cares about‚ where do you think you’d be on the list?

Top 5-4-3-2-1 Bottom

(1) = Not Much (3) = Somewhat (5) = A lot