Construct Validity of Area Specific Self-Esteem : the Hare Self-Esteem Scale

To date there has been little convincing evidence that children differentiate between areas of experience in evaluating their self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical support for area-specific self-esteem as a valid construct. Factor analysis of the Hare Self-Esteem Scale yielded three factors corresponding to home, peer, and school self-esteem. In addition, each of the area-specific subscales behaved as expected. Home self-esteem was significantly associated with social class; peer self-esteem, with recent family moves; and school self-esteem, significantly with test anxiety and reading and mathematics achievement.