The Meta Self Scale (MSS): Validation of a Four-Dimensional Self-Report Measure of Identity Transformation

Abstract

This preregistered study examines the preliminary validation of the Meta Self Scale (MSS), a 16-item self-report measure assessing four dimensions of identity transformation: Ego-Self Dissolution, Expanded Identity, Unity, and Agency. The study examines the theoretical proposal that ego attenuation may co-occur with expanded identity, felt unity, and preserved agency within an integrated identity configuration, rather than only with self-loss and diminished agency as commonly found in existing ego-dissolution measurement. The validation examines internal structure, reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and regression-based pattern testing using established comparison measures: the Ego Dissolution Scale (EDS), Pearlin Mastery Scale, Brief Scale of Existential Loneliness (BSEL), and Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire — Short Form (NARQ-S). Because the MSS measures an integrated identity configuration rather than a previously established single construct, existing comparison measures are expected to show partial and theoretically selective convergence rather than one-to-one overlap with MSS dimensions. Data will be collected through an anonymous online survey with approximately 500 adult participants recruited through social media channels of the Meta Spirituality framework (Instagram, YouTube), a contemporary contemplative framework focused on identity transformation. Expected outcomes include evidence supporting a four-factor MSS structure, positive intercorrelations among the four MSS dimensions, and preliminary evidence regarding whether the integrated configuration captured by the MSS can be distinguished from ego-loss without integration. Findings will establish the MSS’s psychometric properties within its intended-use population; generalization to other populations will require future research.