Self-Acceptance Scale

Abstract

The Self-acceptance Scale, developed by E. M. Berger in the early 1950s, is a classic psychological scale designed to measure two distinct but theoretically related constructs: an individual’s level of self-acceptance and their concurrent level of acceptance of others. This instrument is pivotal in humanistic psychology research, particularly in exploring the hypothesis that individuals who accept themselves unconditionally are generally more accepting and tolerant of others. The scale consists of 64 self-report items utilizing a 5-point Likert scale format, with subscales derived from specific item groupings.

Keywords

Self-acceptance, Acceptance of Others, E. M. Berger, Humanistic Psychology, Personality Assessment, Psychological Measurement, Self-concept, Social Psychology.

Authors

E. M. Berger, John P. Robinson, Phillip R. Shaver

Purpose

The primary purpose of the scale is to provide an empirical measure of two fundamental dimensions of personal adjustment and relational functioning: the degree to which an individual holds a positive, non-judgmental attitude toward their own characteristics, and the degree to which they extend this non-judgmental acceptance to others. It was initially constructed to test the theoretical postulate that self-acceptance is positively correlated with the acceptance of others, forming a crucial foundation for effective interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being.

The scale serves as a diagnostic tool in counseling and research settings, allowing practitioners to assess deficits in these areas, which may indicate underlying issues such as insecurity, defensiveness, or neurotic tendencies. Researchers frequently employ the instrument to study the impact of therapeutic interventions aimed at improving self-esteem and tolerance.

Construct

The instrument measures two main constructs:

• Self-acceptance: Defined as an individual’s fundamental satisfaction or happiness with themselves, recognizing both strengths and weaknesses without excessive defensiveness, self-criticism, or denial. High self-acceptance implies a realistic appraisal of oneself coupled with a lack of conditional self-regard.
• Acceptance of Others: Reflects an individual’s capacity to view other people positively, tolerating differences, minimizing critical judgment, and avoiding manipulative or controlling behaviors toward them. Items measuring this construct often focus on patience, non-interference, and recognition of others’ inherent worth.

The total scale comprises 64 items, with 34 items specifically designated to measure self-acceptance (items 1, 2, 6–9, 11–18, 20, 24, 28, 31, 34, 37, 38, 40–42, 45, 48, 51–53, 58, 59, 61–64). The remaining 30 items measure Acceptance of Others, reflecting the instrument’s dual-factor structure.

Validity

Initial studies by Berger (1952, 1955) established the face and content validity of the scale, ensuring that the items accurately reflected the theoretical definitions of the constructs. Subsequent validation efforts, notably those compiled in the comprehensive resource by Robinson and Shaver (1969), provided evidence of concurrent and convergent validity.

Berger (1955) specifically investigated the scale’s relationship with the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) scores, demonstrating expected correlations with measures of adjustment and pathology. For example, low scores on self-acceptance were often associated with higher scores on neuroticism and anxiety scales, supporting the scale’s ability to measure psychological well-being.

Reliability

While specific detailed reliability coefficients (such as Cronbach’s alpha or test-retest correlations) are typically found in the original academic papers, the scale has historically demonstrated adequate internal consistency for both subscales in research involving college populations. The reliability is generally considered acceptable for research purposes, particularly when the two subscales are treated independently.

Factor Analysis

Although the scale was constructed based on theoretical distinction, factor analytic studies have generally supported the two-factor model proposed by Berger (Self-acceptance and Acceptance of Others). Researchers have confirmed that the items cluster into these two distinct, yet correlated, dimensions. The separation of these factors is crucial, as it allows researchers to investigate the unique contributions of internal self-regard versus external social tolerance to overall adjustment.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale

Format: 64 items administered via a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (Original language).

Population Group: General population, typically used with college students and adults.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (16+).

Population Details: Suitable for use in general psychological research and counseling settings where assessment of self-concept and interpersonal attitudes is required.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate each item based on how true it is of themselves, using the following scale: 1 = “not at all true of myself”; 2 = “Slightly true of myself”; 3 = “About half way true of myself”; 4 = “Mostly True of myself”; 5 = “true of myself”. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are reverse scored to mitigate response bias.

Keywords

Berger Scale, Self-esteem, Adjustment, Interpersonal Relationships, Neuroticism, Personality, Self-concept, Social Attitudes.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not available/pre-dates ORCID system)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The initial development of the scale was documented in 1952 and 1955. As a classic academic instrument, it is widely used in non-commercial research, often without specific fees, but researchers should consult the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, which archived the scale in their compilation, Measures of Political Attitudes (1969). The original PDF can be downloaded here: https://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/dis/infoserv/isrpub/pdf/Measuresofsocialpsychologicalattitudes_2928_.PDF

Reference’s

• Berger‚ E. M. (1952). The relation between expressed acceptance of self and expressed acceptance of others‚ Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology‚ 47‚ 778-782.
• Berger‚ E. M. (1955). Relationships among acceptance of self‚ acceptance of others‚ and MMPI scores. Journal of Counseling Psychology‚ 2(4).
• Robinson‚ John P.‚ Shaver‚ Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research‚ University of Michigan/. Ann Arbor‚ Michigan.

Items of the Self-acceptance Scale

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

1. I’d like it if I could find someone who would tell me how to solve my personal problems.
2. I don’t question my worth as a person‚ even if I think others do. *
3. I can be comfortable with all varieties of people–from the highest to the lowest. *
4. I can become so absorbed in the work I’m doing that it doesn’t bother me not to have any intimate friends.
5. I don’t approve of spending time and energy in doing things f o r other people. I believe in looking to my family and myself more and letting others shift for themselves.
6. When people say nice things about me‚ I find it difficult to believe they really mean it. I think maybe they’re kidding me or just aren’t being sincere.
7. If there is any criticism or anyone says anything about me‚ I just can’t take it.
8. I don’t say much at social affairs because I’m afraid that people will criticize me or laugh if I say the wrong thing.
9. I realize that I’m not living very effectively but I just don’t believe I’ve got it in me to use my energies in better ways.
10. I don’t approve of doing favors for people. If you’re too agreeable they’ll take advantage of you.
11. I look on most of the feelings and impulses I have toward people as being quite natural and acceptable. *
12. Something inside me just won’t let me be satisfied with any job I’ve done if it turns out well‚ I get a very smug feeling that this is beneath me‚ I shouldn’t be satisfied with this‚ this isn’t a fair test.
13. I feel different from other people. I’d like to have the feeling of security that comes from knowing I’m not too different from others.
14. I’m afraid for people that I like to find out what I’m really like ‚ for fear they’d be disappointed in me.
15. I am frequently bothered by feeling s of inferiority.
16. Because of other people‚ I haven’t been able to achieve as much as I should have.
17. I am quite shy and self-conscious in social situations.
18. In order to get along and be liked‚ I tend to be what people expect me to be rather than anything else.
19. I usually ignore the feelings of others when I’m accomplishing some important end.
20. I seem to have a real inner strength in handling things. I’m on a pretty solid foundation and it makes me pretty sure of myself. *
21. There’s no sense in compromising. When people have values I don’t like‚ I just don’t care to have much to do with them.
22. The person you marry may not be perfect‚ but I believe in trying to get him (or her) to change along desirable lines.
23. I see no objection to stepping on other people’s toes a little if it’ll help get me what I want in life.
24. I feel self-conscious when I’m w it h people who have a superior position to mine in business or at school.
25. I try to get people to do what I want them to do‚ in one way or another.
26. I often tell people what they should do when they’re ha‎ving trouble in making a decision.
27. I enjoy myself most when I’m alone‚ away from other people.
28. I think I’m neurotic or something.
29. I feel neither above nor below the people I meet. *
30. Sometimes people misunderstand me when I try to keep them from making mistakes that could have an important effect on their lives.
31. Very often I don’t try to be friendly with people because I think they won’t like me.
32. There are very few times when I compliment people for their talents or jobs they’ve done.
33. I enjoy doing little favors for people even if I don’t know them well. *
34. I feel that I’m a person of worth‚ on an equal plane with others. *
35. I can’t avoid feeling guilty about the way I feel toward certain people in my life.
36. I prefer to be alone rather than have close friendships with any of the people around me.
37. I’m not afraid of meeting new people. I feel that I’m a worthwhile person and there’s no reason why they should d is like me. *
38. I sort of only half-believe in myself.
39. I seldom worry about other people. I’m really pretty self-centered.
40. I’m very sensitive. People say things and I have a tendency to think they’re criticizing me or insulting me in some way and later when I think of it‚ they may not have meant anything like that at all.
41. I think I have certain abilities and other people say so too‚ but I wonder if I’m not giving them an importance way beyond what they deserve.
42. I feel confident that I can do something about the problems that may arise in the future. *
43. I believe that people should get credit for their accomplishments‚ but I very seldom come across work t h a t deserves praise.
44. When someone asks for advice about some personal problem‚ I’m most likely to say‚ ” It ‘ s up to you to decide‚” rather than tell him what he should do. *
45. I guess I put on a show to impress people. I know I’m not the person I pretend to be.
46. I feel that for the most part one has to figh this way through life. That means that people who stand in the way will be hurt.
47. I can’t help feeling superior (or inferior) to most of the people I know.
48. I do not worry or condemn myself if other people pass judgment against me. *
49. I don’t hesitate to urge people to live by the same high set of values which I have for myself.
50. I can be friendly with people who do things which I consider wrong. *
51. I don’t feel very normal‚ but I want to feel normal.
52. When I’m in a group I usually don’t say much for fear of saying the wrong thing.
53. I have a tendency to sidestep my problems.
54. If people are weak and in efficient I’m inclined to take advantage of them. I believe you must be strong to achieve your goals.
55. I’m easily irritated by people who argue with me.
56. When I’m dealing with younger persons‚ I expect them to do what I tell them.
57. I don’t see much point to doing things for others unless they can do you some good later on.
58. Even when people do think well of me‚ I feel sort of guilty because I know I must be fooling them that if I were really to be myself‚ they wouldn’t think well of me.
59. I feel that I’m on the same level as other people and that helps to establish good relations with them. *
60. If someone I know is ha‎ving difficulty in working things out for himself‚ I like to tell him what to do.
61. I feel that people are apt to react differently to me than they would normally react to other people.
62. I live too much by other peoples’ standards.
63. When I have to address a group‚ I get self-conscious and have difficulty saying things well.
64. If I didn’t always have such hard luck‚ I’d accomplish much more than I have.