Abstract
Rosenberg's scale (RSES) is widely used to assess global self-esteem (SE) in adults and adolescents but is not validated for children <12 years. This study assessed the internal consistency, convergent validity, and factor structure of a modified RSES for schoolchildren (CRSES) aged 7–12 years. A total of 711 children aged 9.0 ± 1.5 years completed the CRSES; a subset (n = 417) also completed a life satisfaction (LS) scale. Data were submitted for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and tests of factorial invariance by sex. Two-way ANOVA compared scores by age-group and sex; whilst Pearson's correlations examined the relationship between LS and SE. Following the use of modification indices the fit for the global SE model met the goodness of fit statistic criteria: χ(27, n = 711) = 77.22; χnormed = 2.860 CFI = 0.961; RMSEA = 0.051 with 90% CI = 0.038-0.065; SRMR = 0.037; and displayed respectable internal consistency (α = 0.79). The model was also factorially invariant by sex. SE scores did not vary sex (p > 0.05); but were significantly reduced in children aged 9–10 and 11–12 years compared to children aged 7–8 years. The global SE score was significantly correlated (r = 0.51; P < 0.001) with LS. The current version of the CRSES can reliably examine global SE in children aged 7–12 years; extending the use of the RSES to allow tracking across the life course.
Highlights
Self-esteem (SE) can be defined as a person’s positive or negative attitude toward the self in totality [1]
The interview version of Rosenberg’s scale (RSES) developed by Rosenberg and Simmons [20] maintained the meaning of the selected phrases but altered the wording to reflect terminology used by children; this included giving examples of feelings experienced by children and asking the child taking part in the interview if they felt this way and whether they did so a little or a lot
Fit indices for the global SE model were: χ(36, n = 711) = 296.22; χ normed = 8.463; comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.799; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.103 with 90% CI = 0.092–0.113; SRMR = 0.074
Summary
Self-esteem (SE) can be defined as a person’s positive or negative attitude toward the self in totality [1]. This valuable personal asset predicts better quality of life and personal empowerment [2, 3]; low SE is a risk factor for anxiety and depression and has a prospective impact on real-world life outcomes [4,5,6,7,8]. As SE varies by age and sex [1, 12] interpretation of scores against population specific normative-values or criterion referenced cut-offs are essential
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