Collective Self-Esteem Scale – CSES
Measures individual differences in the tendency to evaluate one's social groups positively and to view those groups as an important part of one's identity.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Collective Self-Esteem Scale – CSES was developed by Rihikka Luhtanen & Jennifer Crocker (1992). It is designed to measure Collective Self-Esteem. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Membership Esteem, Private Collective Self-Esteem, Public Collective Self-Esteem, Importance to Identity.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Esteem | 1,5,9,13 | 4 |
| Private Collective Self-Esteem | 2,6,10,14 | 4 |
| Public Collective Self-Esteem | 3,7,11,15 | 4 |
| Importance to Identity | 4,8,12,16 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Moderately disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Neutral, 5 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Moderately agree, 7 = Strongly agree.
The scale includes 8 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 4 to 28. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Subscale Score: 4 – 12
- Moderate Subscale Score: 13 – 19
- High Subscale Score: 20 – 28
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from .70 to .80 for subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.