Psychometric Properties of the Short-Form State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES-S) Among Turkish Adolescents: Reliability, Validity, and Multi-Group IRT Analysis

This study examines the psychometric properties of the Short-Form of the State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES-S) among Turkish adolescents. A total of 422 adolescents (60.64% girls) aged 14–18 years ( M = 15.78, SD = 1.01) participated across three studies, which included exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and additional validation analyses. Findings support the reliability and validity of the SSES-S scores, validating its three-factor structure—academic performance, physical appearance, and social success—with acceptable internal consistency and measurement invariance across sex. Multi-group item response theory (MGIRT) results indicated variability in item discrimination and difficulty across sex. For example, Item 11 demonstrated high discrimination (3.69), while Item 8 showed low discrimination (0.56), particularly among boys. Additionally, boys had lower difficulty thresholds for academic performance items, whereas girls showed lower thresholds for social success and physical appearance. Differential item functioning (DIF) was identified in two items–one at a moderate level and one at a large level–suggesting potential bias and the need for item-level refinement. While the SSES-S shows generally acceptable psychometric properties, these item-level findings warrant caution when making comparisons across sex. Continued research is recommended to address identified limitations and explore sociocultural influences on item functioning.