How's Your Self-Esteem?
Ten honest statements, one clear read on how you really see yourself.
This is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale — the classic 1965 measure psychologists actually use, here as a self-reflection tool. Agree or disagree with ten short statements about yourself; there are no right answers, just an honest mirror. Based on Morris Rosenberg's public-domain scale. For reflection, not a diagnosis. Takes about 2 minutes.
Check my self-esteemFrequently asked
What does this test measure?
It estimates your global self-esteem — your overall sense of self-worth as a person, rather than how you rate yourself in any single area like looks or work. It uses the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, ten classic statements you agree or disagree with, and places your total on a simple Low / Healthy / High band.
Is it scientific?
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) is the most widely used measure of self-esteem in psychology, with decades of validation behind it. That said, Rosenberg designed it as a continuous measure and never published clinical cut-offs — the Low / Healthy / High bands here are a common interpretive convention, not part of the original method. Treat the result as a thoughtful self-reflection, not a precise measurement.
What does a low score mean?
It means that, on the day you took it, you tended to be hard on yourself and to notice your shortcomings more than your strengths — something a great many people experience, and a snapshot rather than a verdict on who you are. Self-esteem moves over time and with circumstances. It's not a diagnosis of anything. If low self-worth is weighing on your daily life, talking to a qualified professional is a genuinely good step.
Can self-esteem change?
Yes. Self-esteem isn't a fixed trait you're stuck with — it shifts with experiences, relationships, what you achieve, and how you talk to yourself. People move between bands over months and years. Retaking the test later and comparing can itself be a useful mirror.
Where does the scale come from?
From sociologist Morris Rosenberg, who introduced it in his 1965 book Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. It was built to capture a single overall attitude toward the self, and it became the standard instrument researchers reach for when they need to measure self-esteem.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. This is a self-reflection test for insight, not a clinical or psychological assessment, and it can't diagnose anything. Low self-esteem often travels alongside things like anxiety or low mood, but it isn't the same as them. If any of this is affecting your life, a qualified professional is the right place to turn.
Is this the real Rosenberg scale?
Yes — the ten statements are Rosenberg's original items, which are in the public domain (we credit Rosenberg, 1965). What's ours is the presentation: the Low / Healthy / High banding and the write-ups are an editorial, self-reflection layer, not an official clinical scoring or an affiliation with the Morris Rosenberg Foundation or the University of Maryland.
Why these score bands?
The total runs from 0 to 30. A widely cited convention treats scores below 15 as low, 15–25 as within the normal range, and 26–30 as high — that's what we use. These thresholds come from later practice, not from Rosenberg himself, so think of the band as a friendly signpost on a continuum, not a hard line.