ABSTRACT
Self-concept has been one of the most researched topics of adolescent development. Despite this, several inconsistencies in findings exist. From the late 1970s and onwards there has been a growing consensus that selfesteem is multidimensional, and this is reflected in the three most frequently used self-report schemes for assessing self-concept during adolescence: namely, the Offer Self-image Questionnaire (OSIQ) (Offer, 1969), Marsh’s Self Description Questionnaires (SDQ) (Marsh, 1988) and Harter’s Self Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) (Harter, 1988a). After the introduction of multidimensional scales, findings have converged to a greater extent. However, inconsistencies and controversies still exist. Reviewers have concluded that a number of studies are hampered by methodological problems which pertain to both scale construction and the samples involved (Wylie, 1974, 1979; Marsh, 1989).
