Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)

Abstract

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a widely utilized 10-item psychometric instrument designed to measure an individual’s overall feelings of global self-esteem. Developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965, the scale assesses both positive and negative evaluations of the self. Items are structured using a 4-point Likert scale format, ranging from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” The RSES is generally accepted as being uni-dimensional, focusing on a single underlying construct of self-worth.

Keywords

self-esteem, global self-worth, social psychology, psychometrics, unidimensional, Rosenberg, Likert scale, self-image.

Authors

Morris Rosenberg

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is to provide a brief yet reliable measure of an individual’s fundamental sense of self-worth or self-acceptance. It is designed to capture a stable, enduring attitude toward the self, distinguishing it from specific self-evaluations (e.g., academic or physical self-esteem).

The scale effectively measures the degree to which individuals feel satisfied with themselves and believe they are persons of worth, assessing both positive affirmations and negative self-doubt simultaneously.

Construct

The RSES measures Global Self-Esteem, defined as an individual’s overall, enduring appraisal of their own worth. This construct is considered trait-like, reflecting an individual’s general positive or negative feelings about themselves rather than temporary fluctuations in mood or specific situational competence. High scores indicate a high degree of self-acceptance and respect, while low scores suggest feelings of inadequacy and self-reproach.

Validity

The RSES demonstrates strong psychometric properties, including robust construct validity. Studies have consistently shown significant correlations with other established measures of self-esteem (convergent validity) and appropriate non-correlations with unrelated constructs (divergent validity).

The scale’s widespread adoption and successful application across diverse cultural and national samples, as documented by large-scale studies (Schmitt & Allik, 2005), further supports its cross-cultural validity in measuring a universal feature of global self-esteem.

Reliability

Reliability studies consistently report high internal consistency for the RSES, typically yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients in the range of 0.80 to 0.90 across various populations. This indicates that the items consistently measure the same underlying construct.

The scale also exhibits good test-retest reliability over various time intervals (e.g., two weeks to several months), suggesting that the measure captures a stable, trait-like characteristic rather than transient states of feeling.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis studies generally support the original assertion that the RSES is uni-dimensional, meaning all ten items load predominantly onto a single factor representing global self-esteem. This single-factor structure is crucial for interpreting the total score as a unified measure of self-worth.

While some advanced analyses, such as those employing Item Response Theory (Gray-Little et al., 1997), have explored potential minor nuances or method factors related to the positively and negatively worded items, the core structure remains robustly single-factor in most research applications, confirming its utility as a measure of a unified construct.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychometric scale

Format: 10 items scored on a 4-point Likert scale (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

Language Available: Widely translated (including Persian, Spanish, German, etc.)

Population Group: General Population (Adolescents and Adults)

Age Group: Typically 12 years and older

Population Details: Originally developed for adolescents but is a standard and highly effective measure for adults globally.

Test Methodology: Self-administration; total score ranges from 10 to 40 (when using the 1-4 scoring method); higher scores indicate higher self-esteem.

Keywords

self-worth, trait measurement, psychodiagnostics, adolescent self-image, cross-cultural research, psychological assessment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The RSES was developed in 1965 by Morris Rosenberg. Because the scale was published in his seminal work, Society and the Adolescent Self-Image, it is generally considered to be in the public domain for non-commercial academic and clinical use, requiring no specific fee or permission for research applications.

The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://callhelpline.org.uk/Download/Rosenberg%20Self-Esteem%20Scale.pdf.

Reference’s

• Rosenberg‚ M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton‚ NJ: Princeton University Press.
• Crandal‚ R. (1973). The measurement of self-esteem and related constructs‚ Pp. 80-82 in J.P.
• Shapurian‚ R.‚ Hojat‚ M.‚ & Nayerahmadi‚ H. (1987). Psychometric characteristics and dimensionality of a Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Perceptual and Motor Skills‚ 65‚ 27-34.
• Gray-Little‚ B.‚ Williams‚ V.S.L.‚ & Hancock‚ T. D. (1997). An item response theory analysis of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin‚ 23‚ 443-451.
• Schmitt‚ David P.‚ Allik‚ Juri. (2005). Simultaneous Administration of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in 53 Nations: Exploring the Universal and Culture-Specific Features of Global Self-Esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology‚ 89(4): 623– 642.

Items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)

Instructions: Below is a list of statements dealing with your general feelings about yourself. Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement.

• 1. On the whole‚ I am satisfied with myself.
• 2. At times I think I am no good at all.
• 3. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.
• 4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.
• 5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
• 6. I certainly feel useless at times.
• 7. I feel that I’m a person of worth‚ at least on an equal plane with others.
• 8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.
• 9. All in all‚ I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.
• 10. I take a positive attitude toward myself.

Response Options: Strongly Agree‚ Agree‚ Disagree‚ Strongly Disagree

Scoring: Items 2‚ 5‚ 6‚ 8‚ 9 are reverse scored. Scoring assigns “Strongly Disagree” 1 point, “Disagree” 2 points, “Agree” 3 points, and “Strongly Agree” 4 points. Sum scores for all ten items. Keep scores on a continuous scale. Higher scores indicate higher self-esteem (maximum score of 40).