Control and Complexity Scale – CCS
Measures job control and work complexity in terms of an employee's ability to influence working conditions and work strategies.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Control and Complexity Scale – CCS was developed by Michael Frese, Wolfgang Kring, Andrea Soose, & Jeannette Zempel (1996). It is designed to measure Job control and work complexity. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 8 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Complexity of work, Control at work.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Complexity of work | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Control at work | 5,6,7,8 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Very little / Never / Exactly like A), 2 = 2 (Rather little), 3 = 3 (Somewhat), 4 = 4 (Rather much), 5 = 5 (Very much / Several times a week / Exactly like B).
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 8 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Control and Complexity: 8 – 18
- Moderate Control and Complexity: 19 – 29
- High Control and Complexity: 30 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha: .67 (Complexity), .78 (Control), .81 (Combined).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.