Dimensionality of Self-Perception: Tennessee Self-Concept Scale

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Abstract
The Tennessee Self-concept Scale was administered to 125 college freshmen. Both scale- and item-level correlation matrices were generated and factored to examine further the construct validity of the test. The scale-level factor analysis resulted in two essentially independent dimensions identified as self-esteem and integration-conflict. While supporting the results of Rentz and White (1967), the dimensions reflected substantially the item-scale overlap which resulted in clusters of spuriously high correlations. An item-level principal component analysis indicated that 23 factors could adequately describe the item interrelationship for the small sample of college students. Under the limitation of the sample size the analysis generated dimensions defined mainly by the column designated external frame of reference classifications; the row designated internal classifications tended not to group together consistently. Summing item responses across rows to generate the three internal frame of reference scores was thus questioned. Correlations between the factors provided no consistent evidence for arbitrarily collapsing factors to generate the test column designated external classifications. Thus, when using the test with similar samples of college freshmen, caution is in order. Further item-level factor analytic studies with larger, more heterogeneous samples are needed.

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