Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ)

1. Abstract

The Mattering to Others Questionnaire (MTOQ) is an influential psychometric instrument designed to evaluate relational, target-specific perceived mattering—defined as the psychological experience and cognitive appraisal that one is significant, valued, and essential to specific interpersonal figures in one’s life. Developed initially by developmental psychologist Dr. Sheila K. Marshall (1998, 2001) and expanded in collaboration with Laura Mak (2004), the MTOQ operationalizes the foundational sociology of mattering pioneered by Morris Rosenberg and B. Claire McCullough (1981). Rather than evaluating mattering as an abstract, decontextualized, or generalized societal construct, the MTOQ employs a modular, relational-target design wherein respondents evaluate the degree to which they matter to specific attachment figures, such as mothers, fathers, close friends, or romantic partners.

Comprising 12 core items, the questionnaire measures the core dimensions of perceived mattering: awareness/attention (whether others notice the individual), importance (whether others invest affective concern and care), reliance/dependence (whether others turn to the individual for needs), and ego-extension (whether others identify with the individual’s successes and failures). The first nine items utilize a 5-point Likert-type intensity scale (ranging from 1 = Not Much, 3 = Somewhat, to 5 = A lot), while the remaining three items utilize a 5-point hierarchical rank scale assessing the respondent’s perceived standing on the target’s cognitive, affective, and worry priority lists (ranging from 5 = Top to 1 = Bottom). Psychometric investigations consistently confirm robust structural integrity, unidimensional target-specific factor configurations, and high internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients routinely exceeding α = .85 across diverse adolescent, emerging adult, and family cohorts. The MTOQ serves as a critical diagnostic and research assessment across developmental psychology, family studies, educational counseling, and clinical psychiatry, where relational mattering operates as a potent protective buffer against major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, and social alienation.

2. Keywords

Mattering to Others Questionnaire, MTOQ, Sheila K. Marshall, perceived mattering, relational mattering, Morris Rosenberg, adolescent development, interpersonal significance, attachment, social psychology, psychometrics, suicidal ideation buffer, romantic relationships

3. Authors

The Mattering to Others Questionnaire was formulated, validated, and refined by:

• Sheila K. Marshall, Ph.D.: Professor Emerita in the School of Social Work and the Family Studies Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Marshall’s empirical program focuses on adolescent identity development, parent-adolescent relationships, emerging adulthood transitions, and the interpersonal determinants of psychosocial well-being. Her doctoral dissertation at the University of Guelph (1998) and subsequent seminal publication in the Journal of Adolescence (2001) established the empirical and psychometric foundation for target-specific mattering measurement.
• Laura Mak, M.A.: Co-investigator and developmental researcher collaborating with Dr. Marshall at the University of British Columbia. Mak co-authored the 2004 extension of the MTOQ published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, establishing the scale’s empirical validity, structural invariance, and predictive utility within emerging adults’ romantic and dating partnerships.

4. Purpose

The primary purpose of the Mattering to Others Questionnaire is to quantify the subjective degree to which an individual feels psychologically significant, recognized, and needed by specific significant others. Prior to the development of the MTOQ, empirical investigations of mattering predominantly relied upon generalized assessments, such as the General Mattering Scale (GMS; Marcus, 1991), which evaluated an individual’s belief that they matter to the broader world or to people in general. While generalized mattering provides an overview of sociological integration, it fails to differentiate between heterogeneous relational contexts. For instance, an adolescent may perceive deep insignificance within their peer network while feeling profoundly valued by a mother or father, or vice versa.

Dr. Marshall established the MTOQ to address this theoretical and psychometric void. By incorporating a blank target referent (e.g., “my mother,” “my father,” “my best friend,” “this person”), the MTOQ provides a standardized, flexible infrastructure that allows researchers and clinicians to measure mattering within isolated relational dyads. The scale clarifies how interpersonal significance is negotiated across distinct socialization environments during pivotal developmental transitions, such as adolescence and emerging adulthood.

In clinical and educational settings, the MTOQ functions as an assessment instrument for identifying relational disconnection and psychological risk. Research has demonstrated that perceived mattering is a robust protective factor against internalizing symptoms, self-harm, delinquency, and suicidology. An adolescent who feels they do not matter to parents or peers often experiences profound alienation, self-depreciation, and emotional distress. Consequently, the MTOQ provides family therapists, school psychologists, and adolescent counselors with granular relational diagnostic data, pinpointing specific relational ruptures and informing systemic interventions aimed at enhancing perceived significance and mutual dependence.

5. Psychological Construct

The psychological construct evaluated by the MTOQ is perceived interpersonal mattering. First conceptualized within sociological literature by Rosenberg and McCullough (1981), mattering is defined as the deep-seated psychological tendency to evaluate oneself as significant to specific others. It represents a fundamental human motive rooted in social survival, emotional attachment, and self-worth. In Marshall’s (2001) operationalization, mattering comprises four interrelated interpersonal dimensions:

1. Attention (Awareness)

Attention represents the most fundamental dimension of mattering: the perception that another person notices, observes, and acknowledges one’s existence, emotional states, and verbal communication. Within the MTOQ, attention is tapped through items measuring whether significant others observe when the respondent needs assistance, notice what they say, or detect subtle shifts in their emotional experiences (e.g., Item 6: “My ______ notice my feelings”; Item 8: “My ______ notice when I need help”). When an individual feels ignored or overlooked, the psychological consequence is perceived invisibility, which erodes self-efficacy and relational trust.

2. Importance

Importance extends beyond passive attention to active affective investment. It refers to the individual’s appraisal that another person genuinely cares about their well-being, takes pride in their identity, and prioritizes their presence in their daily psychological life. Within the MTOQ, importance is evaluated through indicators of feeling special, interesting, and prioritized (e.g., Item 1: “I feel special to my ______”; Item 5: “I am interesting to my ______”; Item 11: “If your _____ made a list of all the things s/he cares about, where do you think you’d be on the list?”). Importance reinforces an individual’s intrinsic self-worth by confirming that their existence makes a distinct difference to the relational target.

3. Dependence (Reliance)

Dependence involves the perception that the significant other looks to, relies upon, or needs the individual to fulfill behavioral, instrumental, or emotional roles. As operationalized in the MTOQ (e.g., Item 2: “I am needed by my ______”), dependence confirms to the individual that they are not merely a recipient of care, but a vital contributor to the relationship. Feeling needed provides individuals with social utility, agency, and purpose, counteracting feelings of helplessness and worthlessness.

4. Ego-Extension

Ego-extension captures the degree of emotional and psychological interconnectedness between two people, such that the target other is believed to experience vicarious emotional reactions to the individual’s successes, failures, and life events. When ego-extension is present, an individual perceives that their triumphs generate pride in the other person (e.g., Item 7: “My ______ give me credit when I do well”) and that their struggles elicit authentic concern and worry (e.g., Item 12: “People sometimes worry about things. If your _____ made a list of all the things s/he worries about, where do you think you’d be on the list?”).

Perceived mattering is theoretically and empirically distinct from related social and personality constructs:

• Mattering vs. Self-Esteem: While self-esteem reflects an individual’s global evaluation of their own worth (an intrapsychic appraisal), mattering reflects a relational, interpersonal appraisal of worth based on social feedback (“Do I matter to you?”).
• Mattering vs. Perceived Social Support: Perceived social support evaluates the instrumental, informational, or emotional resources an individual receives or anticipates receiving from their network. In contrast, mattering focuses on personal significance and being needed by the other person. An individual can receive instrumental assistance while feeling like an unwanted burden, demonstrating high perceived support alongside low perceived mattering.
• Mattering vs. Belonging: Belongingness entails feeling included or accepted within a group or community. Mattering entails feeling indispensable, distinct, and uniquely prioritized by specific relational figures.

6. Theoretical Framework

The Mattering to Others Questionnaire is embedded within several major psychological and sociological paradigms:

Sociological Theory of Mattering (Rosenberg & McCullough)

The primary conceptual foundation rests upon Morris Rosenberg and B. Claire McCullough’s (1981) sociological thesis on mattering across the life course. Rosenberg observed that during the developmental transition of adolescence, youth frequently experience intense alienation and marginality. He proposed that mattering is a fundamental human drive; individuals need to know that their physical existence and psychological presence are registered by others. Rosenberg and McCullough argued that a deficit in mattering leads to profound existential despair, anomie, and demoralization, whereas high perceived mattering acts as a psychosocial anchor that grounds an individual’s identity.

Symbolic Interactionism and the Looking-Glass Self

The MTOQ draws directly from the symbolic interactionist traditions established by Charles Horton Cooley (1902) and George Herbert Mead (1934). Cooley’s concept of the “looking-glass self” asserts that self-conceptions are formulated through an individual’s perceptions of how they appear to significant others, how those others judge that appearance, and the emotional self-feelings generated by those perceived judgments. The MTOQ captures these reflected appraisals by asking individuals to report not on their own internal self-judgments, but on their cognitive inferences regarding where they stand in the minds and hearts of their attachment figures.

Attachment Theory

From a developmental perspective, Marshall (2001) linked the construct of mattering to John Bowlby’s attachment theory. Internal working models of self and other develop through repetitive interpersonal interactions with primary caregivers. Secure attachment is characterized by an internal working model wherein the self is viewed as worthy of love and care, and others are viewed as responsive and reliable. The MTOQ assesses the cognitive manifestations of these internal working models within specific relationships. Adolescents who perceive high mattering to parents demonstrate secure attachment styles, whereas those reporting low mattering reflect anxious or avoidant working models characterized by perceived rejection, abandonment, or unworthiness.

Developmental Psychopathology and Resilience Models

The MTOQ aligns with modern developmental psychopathology models of risk and resilience. During adolescence and emerging adulthood, the social brain undergoes structural remodeling, rendering youth sensitive to social evaluation, peer rejection, and relational hierarchy. When adolescents experience severe stress, bullying, or academic failure, high perceived mattering to key attachment figures serves as an emotional buffer. It reminds the individual that their worth is not contingent solely on external performance or peer consensus, thereby attenuating risks of depressive decompensation, self-injurious behavior, and fatalistic ideation.

7. Validity

Extensive psychometric investigations have established the construct, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the Mattering to Others Questionnaire across diverse populations.

Construct Validity

Marshall (1998, 2001) demonstrated construct validity through multi-sample comparisons across parent and peer targets. In a sample of 272 adolescents, Marshall confirmed that adolescents hold differentiated mattering schemas across maternal, paternal, and peer domains. Perceptions of mattering to mothers, fathers, and friends were moderately correlated yet empirically distinct, verifying that the MTOQ assesses target-specific relational constructs rather than a monolithic, invariant personality trait. Confirmatory factor analytic routines confirmed that items loaded strongly onto target-specific mattering latent factors without cross-target contamination.

Convergent Validity

Convergent validity has been established through predictable correlations with standardized psychological inventories:

• Self-Esteem: MTOQ scores demonstrate moderate to strong positive correlations with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), with coefficients typically ranging from r = .40 to .62 (p < .001). Individuals who perceive high mattering to parents and friends consistently report greater global self-esteem.
• Parental and Peer Attachment: MTOQ dimensions correlate positively with the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) trust and communication subscales (r = .55 to .71), confirming that feelings of being noticed and needed align with secure attachment representations.
• Relationship Satisfaction: In Mak and Marshall’s (2004) investigation of 194 emerging adults in dating partnerships, MTOQ scores for romantic partners were strongly correlated with relationship satisfaction (r = .68, p < .001) and dyadic commitment (r = .54, p < .001).

Discriminant Validity

The MTOQ demonstrates robust discriminant validity against related yet conceptually distinct psychological constructs:

• Social Desirability: Correlations between MTOQ scores and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale are non-significant to negligible (r = .06 to .12), demonstrating that responses do not merely reflect a need for social approval.
• Depressive Symptoms: MTOQ scores exhibit moderate to strong inverse correlations with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), with coefficients ranging from r = -.38 to -.56 (p < .001). Structural equation models confirm that mattering accounts for unique variance in depressive symptoms beyond global self-esteem and social support.
• Loneliness: MTOQ scores correlate negatively with the UCLA Loneliness Scale (r = -.45 to -.60), confirming that perceived mattering is distinct from the absence of social contacts.

Predictive and Longitudinal Validity

Longitudinal studies tracking adolescents across academic transitions indicate that baseline MTOQ scores prospectively predict emotional adjustment, academic persistence, and lower rates of behavioral misconduct. Adolescents who report sustained perceived mattering to mothers and fathers exhibit lower rates of internalizing distress, substance misuse, and externalizing behavioral problems up to two years later. Furthermore, MTOQ scores have been shown to mediate the relationship between family conflict and adolescent psychological well-being.

8. Reliability

The MTOQ exhibits high internal consistency reliability, temporal stability, and measurement equivalence across diverse cohorts.

Internal Consistency Reliability

Internal consistency coefficients for the MTOQ across published psychometric investigations regularly exceed accepted psychometric standards for both research and clinical use:

• Mattering to Mother: Marshall (2001) documented a Cronbach’s alpha of α = .89 among adolescents. Subsequent replications have yielded alpha coefficients between α = .87 and α = .92.
• Mattering to Father: Cronbach’s alpha values for paternal ratings are equally robust, reported at α = .91 in Marshall’s (2001) validation cohort, with follow-up studies reporting values ranging from α = .88 to α = .93.
• Mattering to Friends: Across adolescent and young adult peer assessments, the scale demonstrated internal consistency values of α = .86 (Marshall, 2001) and α = .88 (Marshall, 1998).
• Mattering to Romantic Partner: In Mak and Marshall’s (2004) validation among emerging adults, the scale demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha of α = .89.

Corrected item-total correlations across validation studies consistently range from r = .52 to .78, demonstrating that each item contributes meaningfully to the underlying relational mattering construct without introducing structural redundancy.

Test-Retest Reliability and Temporal Stability

Investigations examining the temporal stability of the MTOQ across intervals ranging from two to six weeks have reported test-retest correlation coefficients between r = .76 and r = .84 in stable relational contexts. While the MTOQ demonstrates strong structural stability, it remains sensitive to genuine relational transitions—such as parent-child conflicts, friendship breakups, or relationship dissolution—which produces corresponding shifts in target-specific scores.

9. Factor Analysis

The structural characteristics of the MTOQ have been examined through both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)

During scale development, Marshall (1998) conducted principal axis factoring with oblique (promax/oblimin) rotations across adolescent cohorts. Across maternal, paternal, and peer versions, scree plots and eigenvalue analyses (λ > 1.0) supported a dominant primary factor accounting for between 48.5% and 56.2% of the total variance. While items conceptually reflect distinct facets (attention, importance, dependence, and ego-extension), factor analytic results revealed that these facets coalesce into a unified, higher-order perceived mattering dimension within each specific relational target. Factor loadings for individual items across targets ranged from .55 to .84, with Item 9 (“I matter to my ______”) and Item 1 (“I feel special to my ______”) demonstrating the highest factor loadings.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

Subsequent confirmatory investigations (Marshall, 2001; Mak & Marshall, 2004) formally evaluated single-factor versus multidimensional target models:

• Single-Factor Relational Target Model: A unidimensional structure evaluated for each relational target (e.g., Mother Mattering as a single latent factor; Father Mattering as a single latent factor) demonstrated good fit across adolescent samples (χ²/df < 2.5; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] > .94; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] > .93; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] ≤ .058; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual [SRMR] ≤ .045).
• Multi-Target Correlated Model: When maternal, paternal, and friend ratings were modeled simultaneously as three correlated latent factors, the three-factor model yielded superior fit over a single global mattering factor (Δχ² significant at p < .001; CFI = .95, RMSEA = .051). Inter-factor correlations were moderate (ranging from r = .32 to .48), demonstrating relational specificity and confirming that mattering cannot be reduced to a single target-free index.

Measurement Invariance

Multigroup CFA routines testing for measurement invariance across gender and age have confirmed configural, metric (weak), and scalar (strong) invariance across adolescent boys and girls. Factor loadings, item intercepts, and residual variances operated equivalently across sexes, demonstrating that observed mean differences in maternal or friend mattering reflect true developmental variances rather than psychometric measurement bias.

10. Instrument / Measurement Tool

The operational specifications of the Mattering to Others Questionnaire are outlined below:

• Instrument Type: Standardized self-report psychometric rating scale / relational inventory.
• Administration Format: Paper-and-pencil or secure digital survey administration; suitable for individual or group testing.
• Target Population: Adolescents (ages 12–18), emerging adults (ages 18–25), and adults across family, educational, and clinical settings.
• Completion Time: Approximately 3 to 5 minutes per relational target.
• Item Composition: 12 core items per relational version.
• Relational Customization: The scale uses a fill-in-the-blank format (e.g., “my mother,” “my father,” “my best friend,” “this person”) allowing multiple administrations to evaluate different significant figures in the respondent’s life.
• Response Format and Rating Scales:
  • Items 1 through 9: 5-point Likert-type intensity scale anchored as: (1) = Not Much, (3) = Somewhat, (5) = A lot (with intermediate scale values 2 and 4 unlabelled).
  • Items 10, 11, and 12: 5-point hierarchical rank scale evaluating the respondent’s perceived location on the target’s cognitive, care, and worry lists: Top (5) – 4 – 3 – 2 – (1) Bottom.
• Scoring Procedures:
  • All 12 items are coded in a positive direction (5 represents the highest degree of perceived mattering; 1 represents the lowest).
  • There are no reverse-coded items in the standard 12-item scale.
  • Total Score Calculation: Summing all 12 item responses yields a composite target mattering score ranging from 12 to 60. Alternatively, a mean target mattering score can be calculated by dividing the sum by 12 (yielding a range of 1.0 to 5.0).
  • Interpretation: Higher scores denote greater perceived relational mattering, significance, and emotional connection to the specified target. Low scores (composite ≤ 24 or mean ≤ 2.0) indicate perceived relational neglect, unimportance, or interpersonal marginality.

11. Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Mattering to Others Questionnaire was formally developed in 1998 as part of Dr. Sheila K. Marshall’s doctoral research, with peer-reviewed validation studies published in 2001 (for adolescent parent and peer targets) and 2004 (for emerging adult romantic relationships). The instrument is in the public domain for non-commercial academic research, pedagogical purposes, and clinical assessment, provided that appropriate scholarly attribution is accorded to Dr. Sheila K. Marshall and the original validation publications. Commercial reproduction, integration into proprietary clinical software, or for-profit diagnostic deployment requires explicit authorization from the copyright holder and publishing bodies.

12. References

• Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment (2nd ed.). Basic Books.
• Cooley, C. H. (1902). Human nature and the social order. Charles Scribner’s Sons.
• Elliott, G. C., Kao, S., & Grant, A. M. (2004). Mattering: Empirical validation of a social-psychological concept. Self and Identity, 3(4), 339–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500444000119
• Mak, L., & Marshall, S. K. (2004). Perceived mattering in young adults’ romantic relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21(4), 469–486. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407504044842
• Marcus, F. M. (1991). Mattering: Its measurement and theoretical significance for social psychology. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Cincinnati, OH.
• Marshall, S. K. (1998). Mattering attitudes: Validating the construct (Publication No. 9913217) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Guelph]. ProQuest Information & Learning / 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(4), 473–490. https://doi.org/10.1006/jado.2001.0384
• Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self, and society from the standpoint of a social behaviorist. University of Chicago Press.
• Rosenberg, M., & McCullough, B. C. (1981). Mattering: Inferred importance and mental health among adolescents. Research in Community & Mental Health, 2, 163–182.

13. Items of the Scale