The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) consists of 58 items designed to measure self-esteem
across several domains. Here's a list of the 58 items used in the School Form of the scale. Respondents
answer each item with either "Like Me" or "Unlike Me":
1. I feel confident in my abilities.
2. I find it hard to express myself in front of a group.
3. There are many things about myself I’d like to change.
4. I can make decisions without too much trouble.
5. I am fun to be around.
6. I often feel upset at home or in my personal life.
7. It takes me a long time to adjust to new situations.
8. I am popular with people I associate with.
9. My friends or family usually consider my feelings.
10. I give in easily to others’ opinions.
11. I feel people expect too much from me.
12. People often follow my ideas or suggestions.
13. I always do the right thing.
14. I am proud of my work.
15. Someone usually has to tell me what to do.
16. It’s pretty hard to be me.
17. My life feels disorganized.
18. People generally like being around me.
19. I have a low opinion of myself.
20. I sometimes wish I could escape from my current life.
21. I often feel stressed at work or in social settings.
22. I don’t consider myself as attractive as most people.
23. If I have something to say, I usually say it.
24. My friends or family understand me.
25. Most people are better liked than I am.
26. I often feel pressured by others.
27. I feel discouraged by my work.
28. Things are generally going well for me.
29. I have a way of getting others to listen to me.
30. My family thinks highly of me.
31. I am often ashamed of myself.
32. I’m not doing as well professionally as I’d like.
33. I can make decisions and stick to them.
34. I don’t enjoy being at home as much as I should.
35. I do my best work most of the time.
36. I’m not the person I want to be.
37. I often feel discouraged with myself.
38. I am confident about my abilities.
39. I often regret the things I do.
40. I need more confidence in myself.
41. I get upset easily when I’m criticized.
42. I always know how to interact with others.
43. I feel ashamed of the things I do.
44. I am better liked than most people I know.
45. I rarely feel happy.
46. I’m satisfied with my performance at work.
47. I am hard to get along with when I’m stressed.
48. I am proud of my achievements.
49. Someone usually has to tell me what to do.
50. People enjoy my company.
51. I often wish I were someone else.
52. I can recall many times when I was treated unfairly.
53. I am easy to get along with.
54. I often feel discouraged with my job or career.
55. I feel I am not performing well at home.
56. I feel ashamed of the things I say.
57. I am popular with people my age.
58. I wish I were a different person.
Response Format:
Respondents select "Like Me" or "Unlike Me" for each item.
Scoring:
As mentioned previously, each response is scored as either 1 point (indicating higher self-esteem) or 0
points (indicating lower self-esteem), depending on whether the statement reflects a positive or
negative self-view.
For example:
A response of "Like Me" to positive statements (e.g., "I'm proud of my work") receives 1 point.
A response of "Like Me" to negative statements (e.g., "I often wish I were someone else")
receives 0 points.
Negatively coded items: 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37,
39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 58.
Score Interpretation:
Higher scores indicate higher self-esteem.
Subscale scoring allows you to evaluate different domains of self-esteem (general, social,
academic, home/family).
