Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale (SLCS-R)

Abstract

The Self-Liking/Self Competence Scale—Revised (SLCS-R) is a widely used psychological instrument designed to operationalize the theory that self-esteem is a fundamentally two-dimensional construct. Developed by Tafarodi and Swann, the scale moves beyond measuring global self-worth as a monolithic entity, instead partitioning it into two distinct, yet correlated, factors: Self-Liking and Self-Competence. Self-Liking reflects an affective, emotional appreciation of oneself, covering feelings of personal worth and self-acceptance. Conversely, Self-Competence assesses instrumental self-regard, focusing on perceived efficacy, capability, and performance success in important life domains. The SLCS-R is crucial for researchers seeking a nuanced understanding of how different facets of self-regard influence behavior, motivation, and reactions to success and failure.

Keywords

Self-Liking, Self-Competence, Self-esteem, Two-dimensional self-concept, Personality assessment, Psychometrics, Self-worth.

Authors

R. W. Tafarodi, W. B. Swann Jr.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Self-Liking/Self Competence Scale is to provide a comprehensive and psychometrically robust measure of global self-esteem that captures both its affective and instrumental components. Prior scales often conflated these aspects, making it difficult to differentiate between genuine feelings of self-acceptance and beliefs about personal efficacy.

By separating self-regard into Self-Liking (the emotional component) and Self-Competence (the cognitive/performance component), the SLCS-R allows researchers to investigate specific relationships between these constructs and various psychological outcomes, such as coping mechanisms, goal achievement, and responses to feedback. This theoretical distinction has proven valuable in understanding complex motivational processes.

Construct

The SLCS-R is grounded in the theoretical framework of two-dimensional self-esteem, positing that self-regard consists of two orthogonal or semi-independent dimensions. These two factors, while related, demonstrate differential patterns of association with other personality variables and distinct behavioral outcomes.

• Self-Liking (L): This dimension represents the extent to which an individual holds a positive, affective attitude toward themselves. It encompasses feelings of personal satisfaction, comfort with one’s identity, and overall self-acceptance, independent of specific achievements.
• Self-Competence (C): This dimension reflects the individual’s perceived ability to perform effectively, achieve goals, and generally succeed in important life tasks. It is an instrumental judgment concerning one’s efficacy and talent in various domains.

Validity

Initial validation studies (Tafarodi & Swann, 1995, 2001) established strong evidence for the measure’s construct validity. The development process confirmed that the Self-Liking and Self-Competence factors emerged as distinct constructs, yet both contributed significantly to global self-esteem.

The scale demonstrated appropriate convergent and discriminant validity, showing expected correlations with measures of related constructs (e.g., personality traits, depression, and traditional self-esteem scales like the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), while maintaining the theoretical independence of its two primary dimensions. Further studies have confirmed that the two factors predict different reactions to success and failure, supporting the scale’s utility in experimental settings.

Reliability

The SLCS-R exhibits strong internal consistency, confirming that items within each subscale reliably measure their intended construct. The reported reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) based on the Tafarodi and Swann (2001) structural validation study are as follows:

• Self-Liking: Alpha = 0.88
• Self-Competence: Alpha = 0.79

These high internal consistency values suggest that the SLCS-R is a highly reliable instrument for measuring these two facets of self-regard in research populations.

Factor Analysis

Structural validation efforts, including those documented by Tafarodi and Swann (2000, 2001), utilized factor analysis to confirm the scale’s two-factor structure. The findings consistently supported the hypothesis that items cluster clearly into the Self-Liking and Self-Competence dimensions, providing empirical support for the theoretical model. This structural integrity is critical for ensuring that the scale accurately measures the intended constructs independently.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire (Psychometric Scale)

Format: The scale utilizes a Likert scale format, typically ranging from 1 to 5, where 1 typically represents “strongly disagree” and 5 represents “strongly agree.”

Language Available: Primarily English, though translations exist in various languages for cross-cultural research.

Population Group: General population, widely used across academic and non-clinical samples.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults.

Population Details: Suitable for use in college student samples and general adult populations in psychological research.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their level of agreement with a series of statements related to their feelings about themselves (Liking) and their perceived abilities (Competence). Scoring requires the appropriate reversal of negatively worded items.

Keywords

Affective self-regard, Instrumental self-regard, Efficacy, Self-concept, Personality, Psychometrics, Cronbach’s alpha, Two-factor model.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The initial version of the scale (SLCS) was published in 1995, with the revised version (SLCS-R) structurally validated around 2000-2001. The scale is generally available for non-commercial academic research use. The instrument and detailed documentation are often accessible through academic publications and authors’ research pages. The original PDF of the instrument and its documentation can be downloaded here: http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/HomePage/faculty/swann/docu/ts2001.pdf

Reference’s

• Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B. Jr., (1995). Self-liking and self-competence as dimensions of global self-esteem: Initial validation of a measure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65, 322–342.
• Tafarodi, R. W., & Vu, C. (1997). Two-dimensional self-esteem and reactions to success and failure. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 626–635.
• Tafarodi, R. & Swann, W. (2000). Structural Validation of the Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale-Revised Version. Manuscript in preparation.
• Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B. Jr., (2001). Two-dimensional self-esteem: Theory and measurement. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 653–673.
• Allen, Andrea, “Informational effects of assessment feedback” (2001). Florida International University Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1094. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1094

Items of the Self-Liking/Self Competence Scale (SLCS-R)

The following is the 20-item version of the scale, with scoring codes (L=Self-Liking, C=Self Competence; + indicates standard scoring, – indicates reverse scoring). The response format is typically a 5-point scale (1= strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

1. Owing to my capability, I have much potential. (C+)
2. I feel comfortable about myself. (L+)
3. I don’t succeed at much. (C-)
4. I have done well in life so far. (C+)
5. I perform very well at a number of things. (C+)
6. It is often unpleasant for me to think about myself. (L-)
7. I tend to devalue myself. (L-)
8. I focus on my strengths. (L+)
9. I feel worthless at times. (L-)
10. I am a capable person. (C+)
11. I don’t have much to be proud of. (C-)
12. I’m secure in my sense of self-worth. (L+)
13. I like myself. (L+)
14. I do not have enough respect for myself. (L-)
15. I am talented. (C+)
16. I feel good about who I am. (L+)
17. I am not very competent. (C-)
18. I have a negative attitude toward myself. (L-)
19. I deal poorly with challenge. (C-)
20. I perform inadequately in many important situation. (C-)

Note that an earlier 16-item version (SLCS) also exists, featuring items such as:

• I tend to devalue myself.
• I am highly effective at the things I do.
• I am very comfortable with myself.
• I am almost always able to accomplish what I try for.
• I am secure in my sense of self-worth.
• It is sometimes unpleasant for me to think about myself.
• I have a negative attitude toward myself.
• At times, I find it difficult to achieve the things that are important to me.
• I feel great about who I am.
• I sometimes deal poorly with challenges.
• I never doubt my personal worth.
• I perform very well at many things.
• I sometimes fail to fulfill my goals.
• I am very talented.
• I do not have enough respect for myself.
• I wish I were more skillful in my activities.