Scale Overview
The Margins of Society Alienation Scale – MOS was developed by Rodney Travis (1993). It is designed to measure Alienation. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 14 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Aloneness, Marginality, Aspirations, Normlessness.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Aloneness |
1,2,8,13 |
4 |
| Marginality |
3,5,10,12 |
4 |
| Aspirations |
7,14 |
2 |
| Normlessness |
4,6,9,11 |
4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 7 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 14 to 70. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Alienation: 14 – 32
- Moderate Alienation: 33 – 51
- High Alienation: 52 – 70
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.