Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept

Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale II : 

Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale II EDCO 534:Educational Measurement and Assessment Professor Block Ailene Zamora

Measurement Areas and Purpose : 

Measurement Areas and Purpose The Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale – Second Edition (Piers-Harris 2) is a 60- item self-report questionnaire (subtitled “The Way I Feel About Myself”) designed to assess self-concept in children between the ages of 7 and 18 years. The scale yields a general measure of the respondents overall self-concept (Total-TOT), but also includes six domain scales. The domain scales are: Behavioral Adjustment (BEH) Intellectual and School Status (INT) Physical Appearance and Attributes (PHY) Freedom From Anxiety (FRE) Popularity (POP) Happiness and Satisfaction (HAP).

Classroom or Clinical Screening : 

Classroom or Clinical Screening The Piers-Harris 2 is widely used in both schools and clinics. It is often administered as routine classroom screening, to identify children who might benefit from further evaluation. It is commonly used in clinical settings to determine specific areas of conflict, typical coping and defense mechanisms, and appropriate intervention techniques. It is an ideal choice when you need a quick but comprehensive measure of self-concept in children or adolescents.

Length and Structure : 

Length and Structure Administration of the test is usually completed in 10-15 minutes and is administered in two formats, paper and pencil or by computer. It can be administered individually or to small group of students. It is important to note that students completing the questionnaire should have at least a second grade reading level.

Materials : 

Materials The kit is available from the publisher for $119 US. The kit includes the manual and 40 autoscore record forms. Additional record form packs are available from the publisher as well as computer scoring software and Spanish language record forms.

Accessibility : 

Accessibility The Assessment is available in the English and Spanish languages. The Piers-Harris 2 is a standardized instrument and therefore normative data are provided in the manual.

Administration, Scoring, And Interpretation : 

Administration, Scoring, And Interpretation There are several methods of scoring the questionnaire available. These include Autoscore, in which the scales are scored manually with the use of specially designed carbon paper. Other methods include mail or fax in forms or a computer scoring program, which provides a print-out report. According to the manual, administration and scoring can be completed by individuals with minimal training. However, caution should be exercised during interpretation and use of the scores and should only be carried out by those with training in psychological assessment.

Subscales : 

Subscales The Assessment measures six domain areas in addition to overall self-concept. The domain scales are: Behavioral Adjustment (BEH): 14 item scale that measures admission or denial of problematic behaviors. Intellectual and School Status (INT): 16 item scale that measures the child’s evaluation of his or her own abilities in terms of intellectual and academic tasks. Physical Appearance and Attributes (PHY): 11-item scale that measures a child’s assessment of his or her own physical appearance as well as their appraisals of certain personality attributes such as ability to express one’s ideas and leadership abilities. Freedom from Anxiety (FRE): 14-item scale that measures anxiety and dysphonic mood. Popularity (POP): 12-item scale that captures the child’s evaluation of his or her own social functioning. Happiness and Satisfaction (HAP): 10 item scale that measures a child’s feelings of happiness and satisfaction with life.

Interpretation of Scores : 

Interpretation of Scores The tool consists of 60 items that require the respondent to respond by circling “Yes” or “No.” Raw scores are converted to standardized t-scores (mean = 50, Standard deviation = 10) and percentile ranks. T-Score ranges for the TOT scale are: <29T is very low 30-39T is low 40T-44T is low average 45T-55T average 56T-59T- is high average 60T-69T is high > 70 is very high. For the six subscales T-Score ranges < 29T is very low 30T- 39T is low 40T-44T is low average 45T-55T is average > 56T is above average.

Testing Format : 

Testing Format Sample questions include: 1. My classmates make fun of me. .....................................yes no 2. I am a happy person. ...................................................yes no 3. It is hard for me to make friends. ...................................yes no 4. I am often sad. ............................................................yes no 5. I am smart. .................................................................yes no 6. I am shy. ......................................................................yes no 7. I get nervous when the teacher calls on me. ..................yes no 8. My looks bother me. ....................................................yes no 9. I am a leader in games and sports. ...............................yes no 10. I get worried when we have tests in school. ..................yes no 11. I am unpopular. ............................................................yes no 12. I am well behaved in school. .........................................yes no 13. It is usually my fault when something goes wrong. .........yes no 14. I cause trouble to my family. ........................................yes no 15. I am strong. ................................................................yes no 16. I am an important member of my family. .......................yes no 17. I give up easily. ...........................................................yes no 18. I am good in my schoolwork. ........................................yes no 19. I do many bad things. ..................................................yes no 20. I behave badly at home. ..............................................yes no

Resources : 

Resources Kelley, M.L. (2005). Review of the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale-Second Edition. Mental Measurements Yearbook, 16. Oswald, D. P. (2005) Review of the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale-Second Edition. Mental Measurements Yearbook, 16. Piers, E. V., & Herzberg, D. S. (2002). Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale-Second Edition Manual. Western Psychological Services, Los Angeles, Ca.

Test Review : 

Test Review TEST REVIEW FORM   Name of Reviewer: Ailene Zamora   Title of Test: Pierce-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale II   Authors: Ellen V. Piers, PhD; Dale B. Harris, PhD and David S. Herzberg, PhD   Publisher: Western Psychological Services. Date: 2002   Purpose of Test:   Designed to aid in the assessment of self concept in children and adolescent Development:   Standardization: Was standardized using a U.S. sample of nearly 1,400 students, aged 7 to 18 years.   Reliability: .91 for the TOT scale, .81 for the BEH, .81 for the INT, .75 for the PHY, .81 for the FRE, .74 for the POP, .77 for the HAP scale.   Validity: Positive self-concept inversely related to measures of psychological problems. Factor analysis generally supports the rationality of generated domains.   Administration: Computerized or written     Interpretation of Scoring: it scores six subcategories: Behavioral Adjustment, Intellectual and School Status, Physical Appearance and Attributes, Freedom From Anxiety, Popularity, Happiness and Satisfaction.   Limitations: Age: 7 through 18 years old   Grade: 2nd through 12th grade   Other: Strengths: Test items are simple descriptive statements, written at a second-grade reading level. Children indicate whether each item applies to them by selecting a yes or no response. This usually requires just 10 to 15 minutes.