How to measure self-esteem with one item? validation of the German single-item self-esteem scale (G-SISE)
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How to measure self-esteem with one item? validation of the German single-item self-esteem scale (G-SISE) Julia Brailovskaia 1
&
Jürgen Margraf 1
# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the German version of the Single-Item Self-Esteem Scale (G-SISE) is an appropriate instrument to measure the global self-esteem level. In three studies, the construct validity of G-SISE was analyzed. Study 1 (N = 522) found support for the convergence between G-SISE and the German Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (G-RSE), which is mostly used to assess the global self-esteem level. In Study 2a (N = 989), the associations between G-SISE, BBig Five^ traits, subjective happiness and social support were analyzed. Results of Study 2b (N = 348) established the test-retest reliability of G-SISE over the time course of nine months. Taken together, the results show that the G-SISE is a valid, reliable and economical instrument for measuring the global self-esteem. Possible practical applications and limitations of G-SISE are discussed. Keywords Self-esteem . Measurement . Validation . Personality . Mental health
Introduction The increase of self-esteem has become a popular topic. Parents, teachers, supervisors, trainers and therapists try different ways to boost the self-esteem of their children, clients or patients, convinced that a high self-esteem causes positive outcomes, for example, increased performance and productivity (Baumeister et al. 2003). A literature review showed that self-esteem has therefore become a popular topic of different research fields, such as psychology, sociology, and medicine. Self-esteem is defined as the emotional evaluation of one’s own behavior, traits and characteristics (Brown 2007). It reflects positive and negative attitudes toward the self (Rosenberg 1965). While some theories focused only on the global selfesteem, other distinguished individual facets of the global selfesteem, for example, emotional, social, performance-related and body-related (Diener et al. 1995; Rosenberg et al. 1995). The global self-esteem as well as its facets develop depending
* Julia Brailovskaia [email protected] Jürgen Margraf [email protected] 1
Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstr. 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany
on a person’s life experiences, for example, feedback of social interaction partners (Schlenker 1986). Mostly, people try to increase their own self-esteem by, for example, perceiving only positive feedback (Dauenheimer et al. 1999). At first glance, a high self-esteem seems to bring about plenty of advantages. The level of self-esteem is positively related to life satisfaction, happiness, and social support (Diener and Diener 1995; Diener and Seligman 2002; Lyubomirsky et al. 2006; MacDonald and Leary 2012). Individuals with low self-esteem are predisposed to suffer from depression symptoms and often lack efficient coping strategies to manage stressful situations (
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