An Application of the LC-LSTM Framework to the Self-esteem Instability Case

Abstract

The present research evaluates the stability of self-esteem as assessed by a daily version of the Rosenberg (Society and the adolescent self-image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1965) general self-esteem scale (RGSE). The scale was administered to 391 undergraduates for five consecutive days. The longitudinal data were analyzed using the integrated LC-LSTM framework that allowed us to evaluate: (1) the measurement invariance of the RGSE, (2) its stability and change across the 5-day assessment period, (3) the amount of variance attributable to stable and transitory latent factors, and (4) the criterion-related validity of these factors. Results provided evidence for measurement invariance, mean-level stability, and rank-order stability of daily self-esteem. Latent state-trait analyses revealed that variances in scores of the RGSE can be decomposed into six components: stable self-esteem (40 %), ephemeral (or temporal-state) variance (36 %), stable negative method variance (9 %), stable positive method variance (4 %), specific variance (1 %) and random error variance (10 %). Moreover, latent factors associated with daily self-esteem were associated with measures of depression, implicit self-esteem, and grade point average.

Appendices

Appendix A. Items from the CES-D Scale and Stimuli from the IAT

Items from the CES-D scale	Self-esteem IAT
1. I was bothered by things that usually don’t bother me.	Target
2. I did not feel like eating; my appetite was poor.	ME VS. OTHERS
3. I felt that I could not shake off the blues even with help from my family or friends.	Attribute stimuli
4. I felt I was just as good as other people.	Me
5. I had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing.	My
6. I felt depressed.	Own
7. I felt that everything I did was an effort.	I
8. I felt hopeful about the future.	Self
9. I thought my life had been a failure.	They
10. I felt fearful.	Your
11. My sleep was restless.	Them
12. I was happy.	You
13. I talked less than usual.	Others
14. I felt lonely.
15. People were unfriendly.
16. I enjoyed life.
17. I had crying spells.
18. I felt sad.
19. I felt that people dislike me.
20. I could not get “going.”

Appendix B. An Mplus 5.1 Computer Program with Brief Comments for the Best Fitting Model of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RGSE)

TITLE: Mplus syntax for Model 9;

DATA: file is base.dat;

Analysis: Type is general;

Estimator=ML;

!PO1-5: positively worded items

!NE1-5: Negatively worded items

Variable: names are ID PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 Ne1 NE2 NE3 NE4 NE5;

Usevariables are PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 NE1 NE2 NE3 NE4 NE5;

Missing are all (-99.00);

Model:

!The items slopes are estimated and the latent self-esteem variance fixed

GSE by PO1*;

GSE by PO2;

GSE by PO3;

GSE by PO4;

GSE by PO5;

GSE by NE1;

GSE by NE2;

GSE by NE3;

GSE by NE4;

GSE by NE5;

GSE @1;

!The items slopes are estimated and the latent MFP variance fixed

MFP by PO1*;

MFP by PO2;

MFP by PO3;

MFP by PO4;

MFP by PO5;

MFP @1;

!The items slopes are estimated and the latent MNP variance fixed

MNF by NE1*;

MNF by NE2;

MNF by NE3;

MNF by NE4;

MNF by NE5;

MNF @1;

!MFP and MFN are uncorrelated with GSE but allowed to correlate with each other

MFP with GSE@0;

MNF with GSE@0;

Output: mod(3.86) tech1 sampstat standardized;