Brief Description

This is a self-report scale consisting of 76 statements related to how children and adolescents perceive themselves. It includes six specialized subscales (physical, moral, personal, family, social, and identity) and two additional indices (overall self-concept and self-esteem). Additional derived scores include ideal self-reflection, desired and acceptable self-perception, self-criticism, and perceived understanding from others.

Purpose

The TSCS:2 for children was developed to provide a simple, user-friendly, and multidimensional tool for capturing self-concept in children and adolescents at both cognitive and emotional levels.

Scoring Method

Responses are given on a five-point Likert scale (1 = always false to 5 = always true). Each subscale score is calculated by summing the scores of both positively and negatively worded statements. The total score from all statements produces the general self-concept index. Eight statements related to self-esteem are excluded from this total and constitute an auxiliary scale.

Validity

The scale demonstrates high construct validity, as factor analyses have shown its dimensions align with those of the original American version. It also shows satisfactory concurrent validity through correlations with the PHSCS and PASS scales, supporting its use in a range of research and educational contexts.

Reliability

Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) for the subscales ranges from 0.86 to 0.88, while the overall scale reaches 0.92. Test-retest reliability indices for the subscales range from 0.58 to 0.90, indicating satisfactory levels of stability and reliability in measurement.

Data Analysis and Usage

Analysis involves calculating mean scores and total values per subscale. The tool allows for the interpretation of children’s self-perception, monitoring of psychosocial development, and identification of potential difficulties. It is used in educational settings, counseling, psychological support, and research programs.

Key References

Fitts, W. H., & Warren, W. L. (1996). Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: 2, Second Edition, Manual. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.