Validity and Reliability of the PSES
Abstract
Western Journal of Nursing Research, 1992, 14(2), 201-210 Validity and Reliability of the PSES Michael Perlow Self-esteem is a construct that has generated a great deal of theoretical and research interest in the past 2 decades. While theoretical descriptions of self-esteem have been thought-provoking, progress in clarifying and as- sessing the validity of the construct has lagged. O'Brien (1980) considered both a distinct theoretical link and methodologic rigor in validation to be necessary components of any self-esteem measure. Wylie (1974, 1979) also called for methodologic rigor and distinct theoretical links in determin- ing the validity of any self-esteem measure. Both document the fact that Coopersmith's (1959, 1960, 1964, 1981) Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) lacks construct validity. Coopersmith's SEI was developed from items that he felt reflected the general, social, peer, and work sources of self-esteem (Coopersmith, 1959). At a later time, Coopersmith (1981) defined self-esteem with the constructs of success, values, aspiration, and defenses. No attempt was made to resolve the difference between the SEI subscales and theoretical constructs (O'Brien, 1980; Perlow, 1987). Despite having empirical evidence for concurrent validity, Coopersmith's SEI lacks the distinct theoretical link necessary for construct validity (O'Brien, 1980; Perlow, 1987; Wylie, 1974, 1979). Perlow