Self-Esteem Test (RSES)

What is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a 10-item measure of global self-esteem developed by sociologist Morris Rosenberg and published in his 1965 book Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. It is one of the most widely used self-report measures in social science, cited in over 20,000 published studies. The scale measures overall self-worth: how positively or negatively a person evaluates themselves as a whole.

What does my score mean?

Scores range from 0 to 30. Higher scores mean higher self-esteem. In a US adult community sample (Sinclair et al., 2010, N=503), the mean was 22.6 with a standard deviation of 5.8. The score bands on this page are editorial interpretations based on published population norms. The original Rosenberg (1965) paper does not define categorical cutoffs and presents the scale as a continuous measure.

• 0 to 14: low self-esteem
• 15 to 19: moderate self-esteem
• 20 to 25: good self-esteem
• 26 to 30: high self-esteem

Note: these cutoffs are editorial interpretations for informational use, not clinical thresholds from the original scale.

How is the test scored?

Each item is rated on a four-point scale: Strongly Agree (3), Agree (2), Disagree (1), Strongly Disagree (0). Five negatively worded items (2, 5, 6, 8, and 9) are reverse-scored before summing, so that Strongly Agree becomes 0 and Strongly Disagree becomes 3 for those items. Total score ranges from 0 to 30.

What is the difference between self-esteem and self-efficacy?

Self-esteem is a global evaluation of your overall worth as a person. Self-efficacy, a concept developed by Albert Bandura, is a belief in your ability to perform specific tasks or achieve specific goals. High self-efficacy in one area does not necessarily mean high global self-esteem. The RSES measures self-esteem, not self-efficacy.

Is high self-esteem always better?

Not necessarily. Researchers distinguish between stable high self-esteem, which is associated with wellbeing and resilience, and fragile or inflated self-esteem, which can coexist with defensiveness, narcissism, and poor reactions to criticism. The RSES measures global self-esteem and cannot distinguish between secure and fragile high scores.

How accurate is it?

The RSES has strong psychometric properties. Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.77 to 0.90 across diverse samples (Sinclair et al., 2010; Schmitt and Allik, 2005). Test-retest reliability over two weeks is approximately r = 0.82 to 0.88. It has been validated in over 53 countries and across adolescents, adults, and older adults. Any self-report measure is limited by how honestly you answer and your current emotional state.

Can self-esteem change over time?

Yes. Self-esteem has both trait-like stability and meaningful fluctuation across life stages. Scores tend to rise with age into middle adulthood and decline in very old age. Major life events, therapy, and changes in close relationships all affect self-esteem. Cognitive behavioral therapy and self-compassion practices have the strongest evidence for raising persistently low self-esteem.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. OmConscious has a strong commitment to user privacy and does not collect any personal data. All scoring happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your answers are never transmitted to any server, stored in a database, or shared with any third party. No account or login is required, and results are available instantly. When you close the tab, your answers are gone.