The Turkish Adaptation of the Dispositional Self-Control (DSC) Scale and Examination of Its Psychometric Properties

This study aimed to adapt the Dispositional Self-Control (DSC) Scale to Turkish and evaluate its psychometric properties. The DSC Scale measures individuals' ability to resist two types of temptation — Doing Right (DW) and Not Doing Right (NDR) — through the dimensions of yielding and overriding. In the study with a methodological design, the data were collected from 337 participants aged between 18 and 65 (agex ̅=24.84, sd=6.81). The majority of the participants were psychology students or graduates (74.5%). The adaptation of the scale into Turkish was carried out using the translation-back translation method and revised in line with expert opinions. The structure of the scale was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) methods. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) and correlations with relevant scales. EFA revealed that the scale has a two-factor structure and explains 39.66% of the variance. The items were grouped under DW and NDR. Multidimensional scaling confirmed the four-dimensional theoretical model of the scale, and the model fit indices (S-Stress = 0.01, Tucker’s Coefficient of Congruence = 0.996) were found to be excellent. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.88, while the alpha coefficients of the subscales ranged from 0.70 to 0.80. Correlations with the Impulsiveness, Self-Regulation, and Behavioral System scales supported the construct validity of the scale. The lower DSC scores of individuals experiencing economic difficulties or failing to achieve their dietary goals demonstrate the sensitivity of the scale. The Turkish adaptation of the DSC Scale can be used as a valid and reliable measurement tool. The scale can be used to examine self-control behaviors in various contexts.