Mattering Scale
Measures the psychological construct of mattering, defined as the feeling that one makes a difference and is significant to others, across three dimensions: awareness, importance, and reliance.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Mattering Scale was developed by Gregory C. Elliott, S. Kao, & A. Grant (2004). It is designed to measure Mattering. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Awareness, Importance, Reliance.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | 1,4,7,9,13,16,18,21 | 8 |
| Importance | 3,6,8,11,14,15,19,20,22,23 | 10 |
| Reliance | 2,5,10,12,17,24 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 12 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 24 to 120. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Mattering: 24 – 56
- Moderate Mattering: 57 – 88
- High Mattering: 89 – 120
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Awareness (α = 0.82 – 0.87), Importance (α = 0.80 – 0.86), Reliance (α = 0.83 – 0.87).
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.