Charles W. Ryan

Stability and sex differences on the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory for students in grades two to twelve.

This study reassessed the presence or absence of sex differences and investigated the stability of self-esteem as measured by Coopersmiths Self-esteem Inventory over 6 mo. for Grades 2 to 12. The subjects were 591 students, 296 male and 295 female, enrolled in an urban central Maine school district. No sex differences were found on any of the subscales or total scale score on either the pretest or posttests by grade. Significant correlations, small to moderate in size, were found for all grades on two scales, general self and total self. The results and implications are discussed.