The assessment of adolescent self‐esteem: A comparison of methods¹

Abstract

The present series of studies explores the relationship between two conceptions of self-esteem: the self as experienced by the individual and the self as presented to others. Traditional measures of self-esteem are employed, and two new method.s of assessing self-esteem in adolescents are introduced: an observational measure of self-esteem behavior (presented self) and a repeated self-report measure (experienced self). The presented self (observed behavior and peer ratings) and the experienced self (Rosenberg, Lemer, and a new method, paging devices) measures were consistent within themselves in assessing self-esteem. The presented self and the experienced self were not, however, significantly related to each other. We propose a moderator variable ("defensiveness") to explain these discrepancies, and suggest that the observation of adolescent behavior provides a more accurate assessment of self-esteem than self-report measures.In assessing self-esteem researchers have relied almost exclusively on the individual's self-report. Who but the individual, after all, is to say how he or she feels about himself or herself? But what are we to believe if the person who reports high self-regard behaves in an insecure, defensive manner? Virtually all current instruments of self-esteem, whether by definition or of methodological convenience, assume that self-evaluation is a private, subjective matter, not accessible to measurement by external behavior or through inferences made by others. In this series oi studies we propose to challenge this assumption by exploring multiple methods in assessing self-esteem.

Belief in Free Will: Measurement and Conceptualization Innovations

“…Fleming and Courtney (1984) found a one-week test-retest reliability of .82. The scale has demonstrated concurrent validity with other self-esteemrelated instruments; for example, it correlated .72 with the Lerner Self-Esteem Scale (Savin-Williams & Jaquish, 1981). Discriminant validity is suggested by the lack of correlation with locus of control or with scores on the verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test (Reynolds, 1988).…”

Measuring empowerment in client-run self-help agencies

“…Previously reported test statistics for this measure showed an internal consistency of .88 (Fleming and Courtney, 1984). Discriminant validation is reported by Fleming and Courtney (1984) and convergent validation is reported at .72 (Savin-Williams and Jaquish, 1981).…”

Preliminary Findings on the Effects of Self-Referring and Evaluative Stimuli on Stimulus Equivalence Class Formation

“…The RSE has been shown to be a valid measure of how an individual views him or herself (Lorr & Wunderlich , 1986). It is highly reliable (Robins, Hendin, & Trzesniewski, 2001) and scores on the RSE are correlated with a number of self-esteem related constructs (e.g., popularity, confidence, peer ratings) (Reynolds, 1988;Savin-Williams & Janquish, 1981). The OQ-45 has demonstrated good psychometric properties in college age samples (Lambert, Hansen, Umphress, Lunnen , Okiishu, Burlingame, & Reisinger, 2001).…”