Great Escape or Path to Self-Expression?: Development and Validation of a Scale of Motivations for Text Messaging. (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trub, Leora; Barbot, Baptiste
• Is Part Of: Measurement & evaluation in counseling & development. Volume 53:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 44
• Page End: 61
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: Messaging -- personality -- preference for texting -- social anxiety -- shyness -- texting motivations; Psychological tests -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Periodicals; 361.060287
• DOI: 10.1080/07481756.2019.1667244
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0748-1756

Abstract

Abstract: The Messaging Motivations Questionnaire (MMQ) is a concise 8-item measure, which consists of two subscales capturing people's typical motivations to text. The MMQ was developed through focus groups and item analysis based on a pilot study, followed by a larger validation study involving a sample of 982 young adults. Factor analyses supported a 2-factor structure, yielding highly reliable scale scores: Escape, characterized by the wish to escape or avoid internal or external stimuli when texting; and Express, characterized by the use of text messaging over richer forms of communication media to facilitate self-expression. Criterion validity of the MMQ scores was established using measures of problematic smartphone use, social anxiety, self-esteem, and the Big Five dimensions of personality. Women exhibited slightly higher scores on both subscales. There were no race/ethnicity-related MMQ score differences, and marginal age-related differences. The MMQ is a promising tool for counselors to better understand and discuss their young adult clients' texting behaviors, as well as for future research focused on texting behavior and its consequences.