Assessing metamotivation in schizophrenia: A pilot study of the Brief Regulation of Motivation Scale (BRoMS)

Metamotivation is defined as the ability to identify, monitor, and self-regulate motivation in service of goal attainment. As metamotivation is becoming an area of increased interest for intervention among people with psychiatric disorders, there is a need for valid and reliable self-report measures. The current pilot study adapted the Brief Regulation of Motivation Scale (BRoMS; Kim et al., 2018), a self-report measure validated among college students, for use with individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, as a first step towards identifying a metamotivation measure. Thirty-four participants diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed the adapted BRoMS measure and a measure of community functioning. The BRoMS was found to be acceptable, feasible and internally consistent. Higher BRoMs scores were associated with better work related skills. Concurrent and predictive validity were further evaluated among a subsample (n = 21), with comparisons between the BRoMS and participant responses on a semi-structured interview, and measures of self-motivation, and quality of life. The BRoMS demonstrated limited concurrent validity with the interview responses and motivation-related subscales; however, there was modest predictive validity regarding quality of life. This pilot data informs the need for continued efforts to develop and validate metamotivation scales.