Psychometric evaluation of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in primary school students with mild intellectual disability: First evidence.
Use the bifactor Rosenberg scale to reliably measure self-esteem in 9- to 12-year-olds with mild intellectual disability.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) on Greek primary pupils with mild intellectual disability.
They asked if a two-factor model that splits positive and negative wording fits better than a single score.
Kids aged 9-12 answered the 10-item scale and the researchers ran factor analyses to check reliability.
What they found
The bifactor model fit well. It keeps one general self-esteem score while letting positive and negative items load separately.
Reliability stayed acceptable, so the scale can be used with this group without major changes.
How this fits with other research
Maciver et al. (2020) also worked with late-elementary pupils with disabilities, but they asked teachers to rate school participation. Together the studies show we can get solid data from both kids and adults in the same age band.
Rojahn et al. (2012) already showed the Brief Symptom Inventory works in adults with mild ID. Syropoulou et al. (2021) now give the same green light for child self-esteem, closing the age gap.
Dudley et al. (2019) warned that professionals undervalue quality-of-life scores when ID severity rises. Their negative finding reminds us to keep using self-report when pupils can answer, just as the RSES study did.
Why it matters
You now have a quick, free tool to hear directly from upper-primary pupils with mild ID about how they feel about themselves. Use the bifactor RSES, watch the negative-worded items, and pair the scores with teacher or parent data to plan self-esteem goals.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Although the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is the most widely used measure of self-esteem, the evidential basis to confirm the RSES factor validity and reliability in children with intellectual disabilities (ID) has not been previously addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the RSES into a sample consisting of primary school students with mild ID, bearing in mind the aspect of multidimensionality. In addition, gender differences were also investigated. METHODS: The participants were 103 primary school students with mild ID aged 9-12 years old. Fifty-four (52.4 %) of the participants were boys and forty-nine were girls (47.6 %). Using the LISREL software, six different models of factor structure were estimated. The psychometric properties of the RSES, including internal consistency, content validity, convergent and discriminant validity as well as confirmatory factor analysis, were assessed. RESULTS: The findings of this study provide some preliminary support to the robustness of the bifactor model, with a general self-esteem factor and two method effect factors that capture the direction of positive and negative item wording. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is inappropriate to conclude that the results will be extended to all other populations and cultures, it can be assumed that bifactor models, which specify method effects due to wording, fit better than strictly unidimensional or two factor models.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103964