Pearlin Mastery · Sense of control

Reading your results

A higher score means you feel more able to deal with the problems in your life. Five of the seven items describe feeling helpless or pushed around, so they are reversed before adding (7–28). The lower, moderate and higher ranges divide the possible scores into thirds; they are CareOps descriptions, not thresholds set by the original scale. Read a lower score as a sign of how things feel now, not as a rating of your ability. It can also be lower when your circumstances really are hard to change.

A question to reflect on

Choose one thing that has been weighing on you. Separate what you can change from what is hard to change. For the first part, decide the smallest action you could try this week. For the second, note who you could ask for help.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in the Pearlin Mastery Scale, and how long does it take?

There are 7 questions, and it usually takes about 2 minutes. For each question you choose one of 4 answers, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”. There are no right or wrong answers.

What is a sense of mastery?

It is how much you feel able to influence what happens in your life. Pearlin and Schooler described it in their 1978 study of coping. A higher score means you feel more able to deal with the problems in your life.

How is the score calculated?

You answer seven items on a four-point scale. Five describe feeling helpless or pushed around, so they are reversed before adding, and the total ranges from 7 to 28. The lower, moderate and higher ranges divide the possible scores into thirds and are CareOps descriptions.

Does a low score mean I am not capable?

No. It reflects how things feel now, not a rating of your ability, and it can also be lower when your circumstances really are hard to change. Start by choosing one small thing today that is within your control.

Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?

You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.

Can I bring these results into a counseling session?

Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.

Can I share my results with a friend?

Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.