Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?How to Use ItHow to CalculateIs it ReliableBuild Positive Self EsteemSelf-Esteem In Teens and AdultsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?
How to Use It
How to Calculate
Is it Reliable
Build Positive Self Esteem
Self-Esteem In Teens and Adults
Frequently Asked Questions
How we feel about ourselves can change from day to day in relation to our experiences, including our successes and failures, butself-esteemis a more enduring measure of feelings of self-worth.
Self-esteem is an evaluation of how we view ourselves overall, positively or negatively. Someone who regards themselves positively has high self-esteem, while those who view themselves negatively have low self-esteem.
Self-esteem is one component of self-concept, along with others such as self-efficacy or mastery, and self-identities.
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The RSES lists 10 statements (five positive, five negative), each typically paired with four response choices ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” The RSES is public domain, so it can be adapted for specific uses, and several versions of the scale exist.
Psychological researchers frequently use the RSES because it is straightforward, short, and convenient.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Is Not a Substitute for Professional AssessmentDo not use the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to diagnose emotional issues or as a substitute for seeing amental health professional.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Is Not a Substitute for Professional Assessment
Do not use the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to diagnose emotional issues or as a substitute for seeing amental health professional.
How to Use the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
Though not always listed in the same order, typically the items for the RSES are:
How to Calculate the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
To calculate your score, you need to consult the scoring key for the version of the RSES you are using. Different versions assign different values to each answer, and the order of the questions matters to the key.
In general, each item is given a score value range of 0–3.
Positively phrased responses, such as “I feel that I have a number of good qualities” are scored as:
Negatively phrased responses, such as “At times, I think I am no good at all” are scored in reverse, as:
Some versions use a scale of 1–4 instead of 0–3.
Total the numbers at the end.
Interpreting Results
Depending on the numerical values of the responses, the total score will range from either 0–30 or 10–40.
There is no set agreed-upon cutoff point for low or high self-esteem. The RSES is meant to be used in conjunction with Rosenberg’s literature and other information on the population being studied.
The global (total) score is sometimes divided into three levels:
The above numbers derive from a study that used a 1–4 system and do not correlate to those that calculate using a 0–3 system. The definitions and applications of levels of self-esteem can also vary in interpretation.
Is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Reliable?
The RSES is widely used. It has been translated into at least 28 languages and studied in at least 53 countries. As of February 2020, it has been cited over 40,000 times (according to Google Scholar) and used in almost 50% of empirical studies on self-esteem published in major scientific journals.
The development of self-esteem starts in childhood and many factors influence it, including:
Self-esteem in adults is typically stabler and harder to influence, but positive change can happen.
Helping Children Build Positive Self-Esteem
Ways you can help foster self-esteem in children include:
Raising Self-Esteem in Teens and Adults
Talking to a mental health professional is a good start forworking on improving your self-esteem. They can offer techniques to changedeep-rooted thought processesand help you work through your feelings and experiences,past and present.
Things to try in addition to professional help include:
What Is Self-Serving Bias in Psychology?
Summary
Self-esteem is how we see ourselves overall. It largely develops in childhood and stabilizes in adulthood, but it can change.
People who view themselves positively have high self-esteem. People who view themselves negatively have low self-esteem. It’s also possible to fall somewhere in the middle.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is a 10-item questionnaire that psychologist Morris Rosenberg developed in 1965. It is the most common measure of self-esteem researchers use. It can be both scored and interpreted in a number of ways, so it is important to check the test’s instructions.
If your self-esteem is lower than you’d like it to be, talk to amental health professional. There are ways to improve your self-esteem and help you see how great you really are.
People with low self-esteem may:
Self-esteem typically develops in childhood. Childhood experiences that may contribute to low self-esteem include:
Life experiences as an adult can also factor into low self-esteem, including:
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC).Self-esteem.Park JY, Park EY.The Rasch analysis of Rosenberg self-esteem scale in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1992. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01992University of Maryland.Self-esteem: what is it?Rosenberg M.Rosenberg self-esteem scale. American Psychological Association; 2011. doi:10.1037/t01038-000York University.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965).W. W. Norton & Company.Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Rosenberg scale FAQ.Lima TJS de, Souza LEC de.Rosenberg self-esteem scale: method effect and gender invariance. Psico-USF. 2019;24(3):517-528. doi:10.1590/1413-82712019240309García JA, y Olmos FC, Matheu ML, Carreño TP.Self esteem levels vs global scores on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Heliyon. 2019;5(3):e01378. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01378American Psychological Association.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE).University of Maryland.Rosenberg self-esteem scale.Monteiro RP, Coelho GL de H, Hanel PHP, de Medeiros ED, da Silva PDG.The efficient assessment of self-esteem: proposing the brief Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Applied Research Quality Life. 2022;17(2):931-947. doi:10.1007/s11482-021-09936-4Hosogi M, Okada A, Fujii C, Noguchi K, Watanabe K.Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children. BioPsychoSocial Med. 2012;6(1):9. doi:10.1186/1751-0759-6-9Nemours TeensHealth.How can I improve my self-esteem?Nemours KidsHealth.Self-esteem.Mind.Self-esteem.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC).Self-esteem.Park JY, Park EY.The Rasch analysis of Rosenberg self-esteem scale in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1992. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01992University of Maryland.Self-esteem: what is it?Rosenberg M.Rosenberg self-esteem scale. American Psychological Association; 2011. doi:10.1037/t01038-000York University.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965).W. W. Norton & Company.Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Rosenberg scale FAQ.Lima TJS de, Souza LEC de.Rosenberg self-esteem scale: method effect and gender invariance. Psico-USF. 2019;24(3):517-528. doi:10.1590/1413-82712019240309García JA, y Olmos FC, Matheu ML, Carreño TP.Self esteem levels vs global scores on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Heliyon. 2019;5(3):e01378. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01378American Psychological Association.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE).University of Maryland.Rosenberg self-esteem scale.Monteiro RP, Coelho GL de H, Hanel PHP, de Medeiros ED, da Silva PDG.The efficient assessment of self-esteem: proposing the brief Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Applied Research Quality Life. 2022;17(2):931-947. doi:10.1007/s11482-021-09936-4Hosogi M, Okada A, Fujii C, Noguchi K, Watanabe K.Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children. BioPsychoSocial Med. 2012;6(1):9. doi:10.1186/1751-0759-6-9Nemours TeensHealth.How can I improve my self-esteem?Nemours KidsHealth.Self-esteem.Mind.Self-esteem.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC).Self-esteem.Park JY, Park EY.The Rasch analysis of Rosenberg self-esteem scale in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1992. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01992University of Maryland.Self-esteem: what is it?Rosenberg M.Rosenberg self-esteem scale. American Psychological Association; 2011. doi:10.1037/t01038-000York University.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965).W. W. Norton & Company.Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.University of Maryland.Rosenberg scale FAQ.Lima TJS de, Souza LEC de.Rosenberg self-esteem scale: method effect and gender invariance. Psico-USF. 2019;24(3):517-528. doi:10.1590/1413-82712019240309García JA, y Olmos FC, Matheu ML, Carreño TP.Self esteem levels vs global scores on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Heliyon. 2019;5(3):e01378. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01378American Psychological Association.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE).University of Maryland.Rosenberg self-esteem scale.Monteiro RP, Coelho GL de H, Hanel PHP, de Medeiros ED, da Silva PDG.The efficient assessment of self-esteem: proposing the brief Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Applied Research Quality Life. 2022;17(2):931-947. doi:10.1007/s11482-021-09936-4Hosogi M, Okada A, Fujii C, Noguchi K, Watanabe K.Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children. BioPsychoSocial Med. 2012;6(1):9. doi:10.1186/1751-0759-6-9Nemours TeensHealth.How can I improve my self-esteem?Nemours KidsHealth.Self-esteem.Mind.Self-esteem.
The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC).Self-esteem.
Park JY, Park EY.The Rasch analysis of Rosenberg self-esteem scale in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1992. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01992
University of Maryland.Self-esteem: what is it?
Rosenberg M.Rosenberg self-esteem scale. American Psychological Association; 2011. doi:10.1037/t01038-000
York University.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965).
W. W. Norton & Company.Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale.
University of Maryland.Using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.
University of Maryland.Rosenberg scale FAQ.
Lima TJS de, Souza LEC de.Rosenberg self-esteem scale: method effect and gender invariance. Psico-USF. 2019;24(3):517-528. doi:10.1590/1413-82712019240309
García JA, y Olmos FC, Matheu ML, Carreño TP.Self esteem levels vs global scores on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Heliyon. 2019;5(3):e01378. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01378
American Psychological Association.Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE).
University of Maryland.Rosenberg self-esteem scale.
Monteiro RP, Coelho GL de H, Hanel PHP, de Medeiros ED, da Silva PDG.The efficient assessment of self-esteem: proposing the brief Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Applied Research Quality Life. 2022;17(2):931-947. doi:10.1007/s11482-021-09936-4
Hosogi M, Okada A, Fujii C, Noguchi K, Watanabe K.Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children. BioPsychoSocial Med. 2012;6(1):9. doi:10.1186/1751-0759-6-9
Nemours TeensHealth.How can I improve my self-esteem?
Nemours KidsHealth.Self-esteem.
Mind.Self-esteem.
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