RSES to measure self esteem?

Question

I would like to ask the help of those who are particular with measurment tools used to study self esteem.

Why would researchers use RSES or Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale when there are other Multidementional scales available?

I will really appreciate some help.

Thanks in advance.=)

Answer 1

I would think that one of the reasons that the RSES is popular with researchers is that it has been around for over 40 years,so there is a ton of research already out there on it. That includes a multitude of reliability and validity studies. So, it is pretty clear exactly what the RSES is measuring. (Although some studies have suggested it is not entirely unidimensional.)

Another reason it is so popular with researchers is that it is only a ten-item scale. That means it can be administered quickly. If you are putting together a battery of tests for research purposes, the RSES would be popular, as it would not add much to the time needed to complete the battery.

The multidimensional measures would probably be more useful in a non-research setting, as they would provide more information. But if you want a quick and easy measure of self-esteem - which is what researchers often want - the Rosenberg is a good choice.

Answer 2

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), a measure of positive or negative self-esteem.
The Rosenberg self-esteem Scale produces scores ranging from 10 to 50, where higher scores correspond to higher self-esteem.
See in
http://www.bsos.umd.edu/socy/grad/socpsy_rosenberg.html