Self-Concept Self-Report Scale (SC-SR)

Abstract

The Self Concept-Self Report Scale (SC-SR), also known by its alternate name, the Inferred Self Concept-Self Report Scale, is a psychological instrument developed by Combs, Soper, and Courson in 1963 while affiliated with the University of Florida. This scale is specifically designed to assess a child’s global self-concept based on their own structured self-report responses. The SC-SR utilizes a format consisting of 18 pairs of contrasting positive and negative statements regarding the self, which are subsequently rated by the respondent using a 5-point scale. The primary goal of the instrument is to enable researchers and clinicians to record inferences about the perceived self-concept of the child across various domains.

Keywords

Self Concept-Self Report Scale, SC-SR, Self-Concept, Self-Report, Personality Measures, Rating Scales, Test Construction, Child Assessment, Educational Psychology.

Authors

Combs, Arthur W., Soper, Daniel W., Courson, Clifford C.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the SC-SR scale is to provide a standardized, quantifiable method for gauging the subjective sense of self in young populations. By presenting respondents with 18 dichotomous statements, the instrument aims to capture the extremes of positive and negative self-perception, allowing for a nuanced inference of the respondent’s global self-concept. The scale is classified within the domain of personality measures (Classification 7200).

The scale serves as a critical tool in the field of educational and developmental psychology, enabling professionals to identify areas where a child may exhibit low self-esteem or distorted self-views. This assessment capability facilitates targeted interventions and supports further research into the developmental trajectory of the self during childhood and adolescence, particularly in school settings, as evidenced by the original sample population.

Construct

The SC-SR is explicitly designed to measure the psychological construct of Self-Concept. Self-concept refers to the totality of beliefs, evaluations, and perceptions that an individual holds about themselves. This construct is central to personality theory and developmental psychology, encompassing cognitive and affective components related to one’s physical appearance, academic abilities, social relationships, and general sense of worth.

As an inferred self-concept measure, the SC-SR relies entirely on the child’s internal frame of reference, making it a pure self-report measure. The structured format ensures that the inferred self-concept is derived directly from the respondent’s conscious evaluation of their own characteristics and social standing relative to the opposing item pairs.

Validity

The source documentation concerning the initial publication of the Self Concept-Self Report Scale does not indicate specific details regarding its validity. In the absence of reported measures such as content validity, construct validity, or criterion validity, users and researchers should exercise caution and consult subsequent academic studies that may have utilized or validated the SC-SR since its original publication in 1963.

For an instrument designed to measure a complex construct like self-concept, establishing robust validity evidence is essential to ensure that the scale accurately measures what it purports to measure. Future research or secondary publications are necessary to confirm the scale’s empirical soundness across diverse populations and settings.

Reliability

Specific reliability coefficients, such as internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or test-retest reliability, are not provided in the original source material for the SC-SR. This lack of explicit psychometric data means the consistency and stability of the measurement over time or across items cannot be determined solely from the foundational documentation.

High reliability is crucial for any psychological instrument, as it ensures that the scores obtained are dependable and free from excessive measurement error. Researchers intending to use the SC-SR should seek out subsequent psychometric studies that establish the scale’s reliability parameters, especially when applying it to populations different from the original sample of 6th grade students.

Factor Analysis

The original source content indicates that no factor analysis details are available for the Self Concept-Self Report Scale. Factor analysis is a statistical technique typically used to identify underlying dimensions or factors that explain the relationships among the observed variables (the 18 item pairs).

Without factor analytic evidence, the dimensionality of the SC-SR remains empirically unconfirmed. While it is generally assumed to measure a unitary, global self-concept, a factor analysis would be necessary to confirm whether the 18 item pairs cluster into distinct sub-domains (e.g., academic self-concept, social self-concept) or indeed load onto a single, overarching factor, thereby supporting its construct validity.

Instrument

Test Type: Rating Scale (Classification 7200 Personality)

Format: The instrument utilizes a 5-point scale to rate 18 pairs of positive and negative self-statements. The response mechanism requires the respondent to choose a point on the continuum between the two contrasting statements.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: Human.

Age Group: Childhood (birth–12 years) and Adolescence (13–17 years).

Population Details: The initial standardization and testing sample consisted primarily of 6th Grade Students located in the United States.

Test Methodology: The SC-SR employs a bipolar, forced-choice methodology implemented through a rating scale. Administration is typically paper-based, requiring the child to evaluate their own self-perception relative to the extreme opposing statements presented in each of the 18 pairs.

Keywords

Combs, Soper, Courson, University of Florida, 6th Grade Students, Personality Assessment, Rating Scale, Inferred Self Concept, Developmental Psychology, Educational and Psychological Measurement.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source documentation.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source documentation.

Correspondence Address: Authors were affiliated with the University of Florida at the time of publication (1963).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Self Concept-Self Report Scale was initially developed and published in 1963. Information regarding current usage permissions, licensing fees, or commercial availability is not detailed in the original documentation. Given its publication in an academic journal, researchers should consult the copyright policies of the journal, Educational and Psychological Measurement, or the estates of the authors for contemporary usage rights and permissions.

Reference’s

• Combs, A. W., Soper, D. W., & Courson, C. C. (1963). The measurement of self concept and self report. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 23(3), 493–500.

Items of the Self Concept-Self Report Scale (SC-SR)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. People like to have me around. . . . People don’t care if I’m there or not.
2. I feel sad a lot. . . . I feel happy most of the time.
3. People don’t like me very well. . . . People usually like me.
4. I look pretty good. . . . I don’t like my looks.
5. I usually feel bad, get tired quickly. . . . I usually feel good have lots of energy.
6. Teachers like me pretty well. . . . Teachers don’t like me much.
7. Mostly I feel sure of myself. . . . I’m not very sure of myself.
8. Kids don’t like me much. . . . Kids like me pretty well.
9. I feel worthwhile. . . . I don’t amount to much.
10. Things are often too much for me to deal with. . . . I can handle things pretty well.
11. I don’t think I’m brave. . . . I think I’m a brave person.
12. I’m doing very badly in school. . . . I’m doing okay in school.
13. I don’t think I’m smart. . . . I think I am pretty smart.
14. I’m really a nice person. . . . I’m not a nice person.
15. Most school work is fun. . . . School work is not much fun.
16. I’m not much good at sports and games. . . . I’m good at sports and games.
17. People think I’m important. . . . People don’t think I’m very important.
18. It’s fun being me. . . . I wish I were somebody else.

Note: Responses were arranged on a 5-point scale.