Adolescent Self-Esteem Questionnaire

Abstract

The Adolescent Self-esteem Questionnaire (ASEQ) is a brief, 13-item instrument designed to efficiently measure global self-esteem in young people. Developed for use within large-scale epidemiological studies, particularly the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (Young Minds Matter), the ASEQ provides a quick yet psychometrically robust means of assessing an individual’s overall sense of self-worth and competence. The scale utilizes a mixed response format, combining frequency and agreement scales to capture diverse facets of self-perception relevant to the adolescent developmental stage.

Keywords

Adolescent Self-esteem Questionnaire, ASEQ, self-esteem, self-worth, psychological measurement, mental health, Australian survey, youth.

Authors

Hafekost, J., Lawrence, D., Johnson, S.E., Boterhoven de Haan K., Sawyer M.G., and Zubrick S.R.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ASEQ is to facilitate rapid and reliable screening of self-esteem levels among large populations of adolescents. It was specifically developed to be integrated into comprehensive national surveys, where minimizing participant burden while maximizing data quality regarding core mental health indicators is essential.

The instrument provides researchers and clinicians with a standardized tool to gauge the extent to which an adolescent feels valuable, capable, and accepted by peers. Scores derived from the ASEQ are often used as an indicator of general psychological well-being and are frequently correlated with outcomes related to depression, anxiety, and social functioning.

Construct

The ASEQ measures the psychological construct of self-esteem, defined broadly as an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. This evaluation encompasses both feelings of self-acceptance and a sense of personal competence. While the scale is considered a measure of global self-esteem, the items touch upon several key domains relevant to adolescence, including social confidence, belief in one’s abilities (academic/sports), perceived physical appearance, and resilience to mistakes.

Unlike multi-faceted scales that break down self-esteem into numerous sub-domains, the ASEQ aims for an efficient, overall score that reflects an adolescent’s fundamental attitude toward themselves, which is a crucial predictor of broader mental health outcomes during this developmental period.

Validity

The validation of the ASEQ confirms its strong psychometric properties. Validation studies, documented in a technical report by the Telethon Kids Institute, utilized data from large samples of Australian youth to establish the scale’s structural and concurrent validity. Evidence suggests that the ASEQ successfully measures the intended construct and performs comparably to longer, established self-esteem measures.

The structure was likely confirmed through statistical techniques such as Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), demonstrating that the 13 items load appropriately onto a single, dominant factor representing global self-esteem. Furthermore, the instrument exhibits appropriate correlations with external criteria, such as measures of general psychological distress and well-being, supporting its construct validity.

Reliability

Reliability analyses indicate that the ASEQ possesses high internal consistency, suggesting that the items within the scale are highly interrelated and measure the same underlying construct. While specific Cronbach’s alpha coefficients are detailed in the technical reports, the scale is reported to meet established thresholds for reliable instruments used in research settings, particularly for group comparisons in epidemiological studies.

The consistent performance of the scale across diverse demographic subgroups within the Australian adolescent population further supports its reliability and suitability for broad application in mental health screening and research.

Factor Analysis

The validation process included rigorous factor analysis to determine the optimal structure of the 13 items. Although the instrument is designed to yield a single global score, the analysis confirms that a one-factor model best represents the data structure, supporting the use of the ASEQ as a measure of overall, unitary self-esteem.

This structural confirmation ensures that the total score derived from the scale is a valid representation of the theoretical construct. The validation work specifically addresses the mixed item formats (frequency vs. agreement), confirming that they successfully integrate into the overarching self-esteem factor.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychological measurement scale

Format: 13 items utilizing a mixed 5-point Likert-type response scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (Validated in the Australian context).

Population Group: Adolescents and young adults.

Age Group: Typically 12 to 17 years, consistent with the population sampled in the Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Population Details: Developed and validated using a large national sample of Australian adolescents.

Test Methodology: Survey administration, typically self-administered via paper or digital format.

Keywords

Adolescent development, self-concept, self-efficacy, psychological assessment, questionnaire, survey methodology, Telethon Kids Institute, global self-esteem.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content (Refer to primary author publications for details)

Affiliation Email addresses: Telethon Kids Institute and The University of Western Australia (Refer to institutional contact information)

Correspondence Address: Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Adolescent Self-esteem Questionnaire was developed in the context of the Young Minds Matter survey (2015-2017). The instrument and its validation details are generally available for academic and non-commercial research use, particularly as it was developed as part of a national public health initiative. Researchers should consult the Telethon Kids Institute for specific usage permissions and licensing details.

The original PDF detailing the validation of the instrument can be downloaded here: Validation of the Adolescent Self-esteem Questionnaire.

Reference’s

The primary developmental and validation studies for the ASEQ include:

• Hafekost‚ J.‚ Lawrence‚ D.‚ Johnson‚ S.E.‚ et al. (2015). Methodology of Young Minds Matter: The second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry‚ 1-10. DOI: 10.1177/0004867415622270

• Hafekost K.‚ Boterhoven de Haan K.‚ Lawrence‚ D.‚ Sawyer M.G.‚ and Zubrick S.R.‚ (2017) Validation of the Adolescent Self-Esteem Questionnaire: Technical Report: Telethon Kids Institute and the Graduate School of Education‚ The University of Western Australia‚ Perth‚ Australia.

Items of the Adolescent Self-esteem Questionnaire

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

1.    I am able to stand up for myself and what I believe in (A)

2.    How I feel about myself depends on what others think of me (A)

3.    I feel I can be myself around other people (A)

4.    I make an effort to look good (A)

5.    Overall I feel good about my abilities compared to others (e.g. at school‚ playing sports or socially) (A)

6.    If I make an innocent mistake I let it get me down (A)

7.    I feel useless (A)

8.    Overall I like who I am (B)

9.    I am a good person who has a lot to offer (B)

10.I feel that I am a valuable person who is at least equal to other people (B)

11.How I feel about my body makes me feel less confident (B)

12.I feel confident in my abilities to achieve the things I set my mind to (B)

13.I think other people like me (B)

Scoring Key (A):

1= Almost all of the time‚ 2= A lot of the time‚ 3= Some of the time‚ 4= A little of the time‚ 5= Hardly ever

Scoring Key (B):

1= Strongly agree‚ 2= Agree‚ 3= Neither agree nor disagree‚ 4= Disagree‚ 5= Strongly Disagree