Psychology & well-being
Self-esteem scale: what it is and how to measure it
- Concept
- Self-esteem
- Field
- Psychology & well-being
- Scales in the library
- 1
- Items
- 10
Self-esteem is a person's overall positive or negative attitude toward themselves, that is, how much they see themselves as worthy. The Rosenberg scale (1965) is the most widely used self-esteem scale in the world, with 10 items, half positive and half negative. In Vietnam, the concept appears often in studies on body image, social media, school bullying and student mental health.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Esteem (RSE) Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale | Rosenberg (1965) | 10 | 4-point | Choose for measuring general self-esteem; 10 items, 5 reverse-coded, 4-point scale with no midpoint. |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Self-Esteem (RSE) · Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| RSE1 | On the whole, I am satisfied with myself. |
| RSE2 (R) | At times, I think I am no good at all. |
| RSE3 | I feel that I have a number of good qualities. |
| RSE4 | I am able to do things as well as most other people. |
| RSE5 (R) | I feel I do not have much to be proud of. |
| RSE6 (R) | I certainly feel useless at times. |
| RSE7 | I feel that I'm a person of worth, at least on an equal plane with others. |
| RSE8 (R) | I wish I could have more respect for myself. |
| RSE9 (R) | All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure. |
| RSE10 | I take a positive attitude toward myself. |
Source: Rosenberg (1965). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
(R): reverse-coded item; recode before analysis. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: 0–3 scale: new score = 3 − score; 1–4 scale: new score = 1 + 4 − score = 5 − score.
Tips
- The scale is scored 0 to 3, so reverse the 5 negative items (RSE2, RSE5, RSE6, RSE8, RSE9) with 3 minus the score, not 6 minus the score as on a 5-point Likert scale.
- Item order differs between sources; identify reverse-coded items by content (the 5 negative items), not by position number.
- Keep the 4-point scale with no midpoint as in the original; if you switch to a 5-point Likert scale, state it in the methods chapter and change the reversal accordingly.
- Positive and negative items often split into two factors because of wording; for CFA, consider a one-factor model with correlated errors among same-direction items.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do you score the Rosenberg scale?
Positive items are scored Strongly agree = 3 ... Strongly disagree = 0; the 5 negative items are scored in reverse. Summing the 10 items gives 0-30; a higher score means higher self-esteem. Some studies score 1-4, in which case the total is 10-40.
Do I need permission to use the Rosenberg scale?
No. The scale is free for research and education; just cite Rosenberg (1965).
What if item RSE8 has a low loading?
RSE8 ('I wish I could have more respect for myself') often loads low in Asian samples because it can be read as a wish for self-improvement. Check the theoretical reasoning and Cronbach's alpha if deleted before deciding, and report your reason in chapter 4.