Self-Esteem Index (SEI)

Abstract

The Index of Self Esteem (ISE) is a widely utilized, 25-item psychometric instrument designed to measure the degree, severity, and magnitude of a client’s problem with self-esteem. Developed primarily by Walter W. Hudson, the ISE is intended for use in both research and clinical practice settings, particularly within the field of social work. It provides a quick and reliable measure of an individual’s self-regard and feelings of personal worth, allowing practitioners to track changes over time and evaluate treatment efficacy.

The instrument utilizes a 5-point response scale, requiring respondents to indicate the frequency with which they experience feelings related to self-worth, social acceptance, and personal competence. The ISE has demonstrated strong internal consistency and has been revalidated to confirm its effectiveness in assessing global self-esteem across various populations.

Keywords

Self-Esteem, Psychological Assessment, Clinical Scale, Hudson, WALMYR, Index of Self Esteem, Psychometric Instrument, Social Functioning.

Authors

Walter W. Hudson, B. Wung, M. Borges, Neil Abell, Barry L. Jones.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ISE is to quantify the subjective feeling state associated with self-esteem. It serves as a rapid screening and assessment tool used by clinicians and researchers to identify individuals struggling with low self-esteem and to monitor therapeutic progress. By generating a standardized score, the scale provides objective data on a frequently subjective and complex psychological construct.

The 25 items are designed to cover various facets of self-evaluation, including feelings of competence, likability, social comfort, and physical appearance. Its design allows for repeated administration to measure short-term or long-term therapeutic outcomes efficiently, particularly in settings concerned with family and personal adjustment.

Construct

The ISE measures the psychological construct of Self-Esteem, defined as an individual’s overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth. It encompasses beliefs about oneself (e.g., “I am competent” or “I am valuable”) and associated feelings. The scale focuses on the individual’s current perception of their adequacy and social acceptance in relation to others.

The scale assumes that self-esteem exists on a continuum, where scores reflect the severity of distress related to negative self-perception. Higher scores generally indicate a greater degree of positive self-regard, while lower scores suggest significant issues with self-worth, often necessitating intervention in social work or counseling contexts.

Validity

The validity of the ISE has been established through several studies, notably the revalidation work conducted by Abell, Jones, and Hudson in 1984. This research confirmed the scale’s ability to measure the intended construct accurately. The scale exhibits strong psychometrics, demonstrating both content and concurrent validity necessary for clinical application.

Specifically, concurrent validity is supported by the scale’s high correlation with other established measures of self-esteem and related constructs, such as depression and anxiety measures. The items consistently reflect the domain of self-evaluation, lending support to its content validity for use in mental health settings.

Reliability

The Index of Self Esteem is recognized for its high internal consistency, a key measure of reliability. Studies typically report high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, often exceeding 0.90, indicating that the 25 items are highly correlated and measure the same underlying construct reliably.

High test-retest reliability has also been demonstrated, confirming that scores remain stable over short periods when no significant therapeutic intervention has occurred. This consistency makes the ISE an excellent tool for baseline measurement and subsequent progress tracking in clinical practice, ensuring that observed changes are due to intervention rather than measurement error.

Factor Analysis

Early factor analysis of the ISE typically suggests that self-esteem, as measured by this instrument, is largely a unitary construct. This means that the 25 items load heavily onto a single underlying factor representing global self-esteem, rather than distinct sub-domains like social self-esteem or academic self-esteem.

The robust single-factor structure simplifies scoring and interpretation, reinforcing its utility as a straightforward measure of overall self-worth. This interpretation is standard for scales developed under the WALMYR assessment system, aiming for maximal clinical utility and ease of scoring.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report scale; Psychometric assessment instrument.

Format: 25 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: Primarily English; translations may exist depending on regional clinical use.

Population Group: General clinical and non-clinical populations.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 12+).

Population Details: Used extensively in mental health, counseling, and social service settings for evaluating client functioning and emotional distress related to self-perception.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate how frequently each statement applies to them, ranging from 1 (“Rarely or none of the time”) to 5 (“Most or all of the time”). Scoring involves specific weighting and summation to yield a total score reflecting the degree of the self-esteem problem.

Keywords

Self-Worth, Psychometric Properties, Social Adjustment, Counseling, Clinical Assessment, Hudson Scale, Mental Health Screening.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source.)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source.)

Correspondence Address: Refer to WALMYR Publishing Company (Original publisher/distributor).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Index of Self Esteem (ISE) was initially developed around 1980, with significant revalidation work published shortly thereafter. The scale is typically distributed through the WALMYR Publishing Company. Researchers and practitioners should contact the publisher directly regarding current usage fees and specific permission requirements for replication or adaptation. The original PDF sample of the instrument can be downloaded here: https://www.walmyr.com/PDFs/ISESAMPLE.pdf

Reference’s

• Hudson, W. W., Wung, B., & Borges, M. (1980). Parent-child relationship disorders: The parent’s point of view. Journal of Social Service Research, 3, 283-294.
• Abell, Neil., Jones, Barry L., Hudson, Walter W., (1984). Revalidation of the index of self-esteem. Social Work Research and Abstracts, 20(3), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.1093/swra/20.3.11
• Hudson W. (1992). The WALMYR assessment scales scoring manual. WALMYR Publishing Company; Tallahassee, FL.
• Hudson, W. W. (1997). Index of Parental Attitudes (IPA). In Fischer, Joel., Corcoran, Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY. Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1, Page (s): 353-354.

Items of the Index of Self Esteem (ISE)

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

• I feel that people would not like me if they really knew me well
• I feel that others get along much better than I do
• I feel that I am a beautiful person
• When I am with other people I feel they are glad I am with them
• I feel that people really like to talk with me
• I feel that I am a very competent person
• I think I make a good impression on others
• I feel that I need more self-confidence
• When I am with strangers I am very nervous
• I think that I am a dull person
• I feel ugly
• I feel that others have more fun than I do
• I feel that I bore people
• I think my friends find me interesting
• I think I have a good sense of humor
• I feel very self-conscious when I am with strangers
• I feel that if I could be more like other people I would have it made
• I feel that people have a good time when they are with me
• I feel like a wallflower when I go out
• I feel I get pushed around more than others
• I think I am a rather nice person
• I feel that people really like me very much
• I feel that I am a likeable person
• I am afraid I will appear foolish to others
• My friends think very highly of me

Response Scale: 1= Rarely or none of the time, 2= A little of the time, 3= Some of the time, 4= A good part of the time, 5= Most or all of the time.