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 Nice start, Barbara. You discussed validity for two instruments, but the DISCUSSION question is asking you to describe the general methods of assessing validity and the step-by-step process of validating a new measure, not just report how two existing tools were validated. 

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Self-Esteem Measure Validation

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Self-Esteem Measure Validation

My study focuses on the relationship between “self-esteem and social anxiety.” To explore this, I examine two psychological instruments: “The State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES) and the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN).” This week’s focus is on how validity was demonstrated for each tool.

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is the general evaluation of one’s competence and worth. “The State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES)” (Escrivá-Martínez, 2025) was developed to measure transient states of self-esteem in three domains: performance, social, and appearance. It is a 20-item Likert-type scale. Content validity was ensured by drawing on extensive item generation from theoretical models and previous trait self-esteem research. This guaranteed that the construct was well-covered. Construct validity was ensured by factor analyses, which determined the three-domain structure. Each factor corresponded with a distinct facet of state self-esteem, maintaining the theoretical model on which the measure was based.

Convergent validity was confirmed by high correlations between the SSES and other measures of self-esteem, including “the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES),” with coefficients typically above.70. Discriminant validity was confirmed by low correlations with non-correlated traits such as cognitive ability and sensation-seeking, as verification that the scale had indeed measured self-esteem. Criterion validity was also established by experiments in which SSES scores declined significantly following socially evaluative feedback, i.e., mock interviews or public speaking tests. This situational responsiveness helps to highlight the strength of the scale in assessing live self-esteem change, as well as its conceptual role.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is characterized by “fear of negative evaluation and social avoidance. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN),” (Campbell-Sills et al., 2015) is a “17-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the severity of social anxiety symptoms on three dimensions: fear, avoidance, and physiological discomfort.” Content validity was achieved through clinical consensus and correspondence to DSM-IV criteria for social phobia. Construct validity was confirmed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses that repeatedly validated a three-factor model.

Convergent validity was supported by high “correlations with other social anxiety measures, e.g., Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (r >.80).” Discriminant validity was supported by lower correlations between the scale and depression and distress, confirming the specificity of the scale. Criterion validity was achieved through the ability of the SPIN to be able to differentiate clinical from non-clinical samples and track treatment effects over time, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapies (Campbell-Sills et al., 2015). Taken together, these results provide evidence to SPIN as a psychometrically valid indicator of social anxiety.

Conclusion

Combined, the State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES) and Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) demonstrate high validity in content, construct, convergent, discriminant, and criterion spaces. Both offer reliable and informative assessments of self-esteem and social fear, respectively. Validated forms enable them to be used in research and clinical applications alike, enabling us to probe more deeply into psychological processes and guide effective interventions for emerging adults with emotional and interpersonal distress.

References

Campbell-Sills, L., Espejo, E., Ayers, C. R., Roy-Byrne, P., & Stein, M. B. (2015). Latent dimensions of social anxiety disorder: A re-evaluation of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). 
Journal of anxiety disorders, 
36, 84-91.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887618515300207

Escrivá-Martínez, T., Molinari, G., Corno, G., & Baños, R. (2025). A validation study of the State Self-Esteem Scale-20 (SSES-20) and the State Self-Esteem Scale-6 (SSES-6) in a Spanish-speaking sample.

https://digitum.um.es/digitum/handle/10201/147306