RSES

Overview

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a widely used self-report instrument developed by sociologist Dr. Morris Rosenberg in 1965. This scale is designed to measure global self-esteem, reflecting an individual's overall evaluation of their self-worth.

The RSES consists of 10 statements related to self-esteem. Respondents indicate their level of agreement with each statement using a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree (3) to strongly disagree (0). Five of the items are positively worded (e.g., 'On the whole, I am satisfied with myself'), and five are negatively worded (e.g., 'At times, I think I am no good at all'). The scores for the negatively worded items are reverse-coded so that higher scores consistently reflect higher self-esteem.

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is used in various contexts, including psychological assessments, educational settings, and research studies. It helps clinicians and researchers to:

Evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions aimed at improving self-esteem.

Conduct large-scale studies on self-esteem and its correlates with other psychological constructs.

Screen for individuals who may need further psychological support or intervention.

The RSES has been extensively validated across diverse populations and cultures, demonstrating high reliability and validity. It has been translated into multiple languages and adapted for use in different cultural contexts, maintaining its effectiveness as a measure of self-esteem.

While the RSES is a robust measure of global self-esteem, it does not capture domain-specific self-esteem (e.g., academic self-esteem, social self-esteem). Additionally, self-report measures can be subject to social desirability bias, where respondents may answer in a manner they believe is socially acceptable rather than truthfully.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is a valuable tool for measuring global self-esteem, providing critical insights for clinical practice and research. Its ease of use, reliability, and validity make it a standard instrument for assessing self-worth across different populations and settings.