Validity and reliability of single-item self-report measure of global self-esteem

Abstract

Self-esteem, is one of the most important predictors of psychological well-being, therefore valid, reliable and convenient measures of this construct are necessary. Well-being is often measured in large scale surveys, and to overcome some difficulties associated with measurement of many variables with multi-item scales, ultra-brief measures are being developed. Validity and reliability of single-item self-report measure of self-esteem focused on the degree of satisfaction with the self was examined in a sample of 1451 university students in Poland. Subsample of 135 students was used to assess intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest reliability of that measure. ICC was .79, which can be interpreted as adequate reliability. Self-esteem was related in predictable ways to different measures related to well-being, including perceived stress, depressiveness, anxiety, and various facets of quality of life, as well as self-blame as ineffective stress coping. This study provides initial evidence for good psychometric properties of a single-item self-report measure of self-esteem.