This first volume of two in the revised and greatly expanded edition of Professor Wylie's now classic work describes and evaluates measurement methods, research designs, and procedures which have been or might appropriately be used in self-concept research. Offering comprehensive treatment of the voluminous recent literature in the field, it constitutes a unique and invaluable guide to scholars and students of self theories and self-concept research. Many of the methodological issues considered here also have broader relevance for personality research and theory.

This first volume of two in the revised and greatly expanded edition of Professor Wylie's now classic work describes and evaluates measurement methods, research designs, and procedures which have been or might appropriately be used in self-concept research. Offering comprehensive treatment of the voluminous recent literature in the field, it constitutes a unique and invaluable guide to scholars and students of self theories and self-concept research. Many of the methodological issues considered here also have broader relevance for personality research and theory.

What are the characteristics and dimensions of the self? Is there a “best” way to measure the self? How does the researcher’s definition of the self affect the choice of research measure and methods? These are the questions addressed by this book. Unlike previous books on the self, this one provides a systematic analysis of the theoretical and methodological issues involved. It offers a description of several alternative methods for studying the self, and discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of these different approaches. Emphasized here are the phenomenological and experiential nature of the self, its multidimensionality and hierarchical structure, and the relationship between defining and measuring the self. Among the methodological issues addressed are the impact of significant others on the self, the factors that affect the process of reporting about the self, between-group comparison of self-structure, the structure of the self in relationship to others, and the effects of differing cultural contexts.

The aim of this book is to discuss the notions of self-concept, self-esteem, and related terms from an educational and psychological perspective. Specifically, this book is concerned with developing a model of self-concept -- and corollaries to this model -- that assesses the dimensionality of self-concept, reviews tests of self-concept, discusses the relationship between self- concept and other variables (particularly achievement), describes the development of self-concept, and evaluates programs to enhance self-concept. Throughout this volume, emphasis is placed on ordering the many studies using recent methodological advances such as meta-analysis and the analysis of covariance structures. After detailing a conceptual model of self-concept, the book offers various experimental and statistical discussions of the model. Unlike many other models, the claim is not that this model is the correct one but that it may serve as a useful "coathanger" until a better one is devised.

As long as clinicians write “increase self-esteem” on treatment plans without knowing precisely what that means, there is a need for information on the construct of self-esteem and how its many components can have an effect on outcomes. This text defines self-esteem, describes its history and evolution, discusses its controversies, and presents information on intervention strategies that can make a difference when it receives clinical attention. Principles and concepts are applied to various clinical concerns faced by clients in each of the five developmental life stages: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, midlife, and late life. Book chapters discuss a variety of specific issues– such as child trauma and abuse, ADHD, body image and eating disorders, at-risk adolescents, African American youth, sexuality in young adulthood, alcohol and other drugs issues, lesbians and gay men at midlife, career development, intergenerational conflict in Asian Americans, and loss in late life – and offer detailed strategies for the development and enhancement of self-esteem. Also included is an example of an 8-week self-esteem enhancement program.