Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
RSESpsychologysocial sciencesFree for research use
A 10-item self-report instrument measuring global self-esteem as a unidimensional construct.
Items
10
Response format
4-point Likert scale
Version
1.0
Ready-to-cite methods sentence
Global self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), a 10-item instrument rated on a 4-point Likert scale with five items reverse-scored (α = .77).
Reliability & validation
notes
Original New York State high-school sample; α values across populations typically range .72–.88.
Validation population
Adolescents and adults
Test–retest
0.85
Cronbach's α
0.77
Response anchors
Strongly disagree · Disagree · Agree · Strongly agree
Known limitations
Originally developed with US adolescents; interpretation of the method-effect caused by positively and negatively worded items has been debated in the literature (e.g., Marsh, 1996). The scale is unidimensional by design.
Original citation
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image.
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Library entry verified January 2024. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.