Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
Published on: September 27, 2020
Validating a new measure of self-complexity
Wenshu Luo1, David Watkins, Raymond Y H Lam
1Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Singapore. wenshu.luo@nie.edu.sg
Abstract:
The construct of self-complexity has been recognized as important for understanding psychological adjustment. However, research in this area has been impeded by measurement problems. In particular, the most commonly used measure, Linville's (1985, 1987) H statistic, cannot assess this construct appropriately. In this article, we present a new measure designed to tap two components of self-complexity separately: the number of self-aspects and the average distinction among them. We conducted a validation study with 131 Chinese college students. The results indicate that (a) this new measure is not confounded with conscious social desirability bias, (b) it has incremental validity beyond existing measures, and (c) the two components as assessed by this new measure are relatively independent and have different psychological functions. We discuss the implications of these findings for future studies of self-complexity and clinical practice.
Related Concept Videos
Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation
Measures of Intelligence
Validity refers to how well a test measures what it claims to measure. An intelligence test should accurately assess intelligence rather than another characteristic, like anxiety. Criterion validity is one way to evaluate this; it...
