Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale [PHCSCS-80]

Brief Description

This is a self-report scale consisting of 80 statements regarding how children and adolescents feel about themselves. Respondents are asked to mark “yes” if they agree with each statement or “no” if they disagree. The scale is based on the hierarchical self-concept model developed by Salveson and colleagues. Overall self-esteem is calculated from the total of all responses and serves as the main indicator of the individual’s self-concept. The scale includes six subscales.

Purpose

The scale was developed to examine the bidirectional relationship between general self-esteem and school performance in children and adolescents.

Scoring Method

Scoring is based on the 80 items, with students responding “yes” or “no” to each. Depending on the subscale, positively or negatively answered items are counted toward the respective subscale score. The subscales are:
I. Behavior (15 items)
II. Intellectual and School Status (16 items)
III. Physical Appearance and Attributes (11 items)
IV. Anxiety (14 items)
V. Popularity (12 items)
VI. Happiness and Satisfaction (12 items)
The total score is derived from the sum of all positive responses. Some items are reverse-scored and must be adjusted accordingly.

Validity

Correlations with other variables and factor analysis support the conceptual construct validity of the scale.

Reliability

Internal consistency for the subscales, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, ranges from 0.30 to 0.68, with higher reliability found in subscales such as Behavior and Popularity.

Data Analysis and Use

The scale was administered to a sample of 151 Greek primary school students aged 10, 11, and 12. Statistical processing includes calculation of means and reliability coefficients for internal consistency. The distribution of items across the six subscales allows for domain-specific analysis of self-concept and for comparing scores between individuals or groups.