An examination of the construct validity and reliability of the Ghiselli Self-Description Inventory as a measure of self-esteem

Abstract

Two studies are reported which investigated the construct validity and reliability of the Ghiselli Self-Description Inventory as a measure of self-esteem. The first study, using a multitrait-multimethod matrix, found little evidence for the construct validity of the instrument. The second study found a significant, although low, test-retest reliability for the instrument. The degree and pattern of relationships of the instrument with other psychological measures differed for its first and second administrations. These findings are discussed relative to the continued use of the instrument in research and the general study of self-esteem in the context of organizational behavior.