Development of an Indigenous Self-Image Profile (ISIP) for Adolescence

Abstract

Self-image during adolescence is crucial because it affects many facets of life, including career success, personal fulfillment, social interactions, and mental health. Self-image is the way through which adolescents perceive and think about themselves. It provides them with a mental picture of their physical appearance, personality, capabilities, and values. Therefore, to explore the structure of self-image in adolescence, this study aimed to develop an indigenous self-image profile (ISIP). Considering the purpose of exploring the phenomenology of self-image, 30 school-going adolescents were interviewed in phase I, and 45 items related to self-image were obtained. In phase II, these items were evaluated by expert clinical psychologists with a minimum experience of 10 years. In phase III, the final selected items were administered to school-going adolescents (N=270) along with a self-esteem scale (Saleem & Mahmood). Furthermore, factor analysis of the self-image profile revealed three factors: proficient self-image, emotional self-image, and distressed self-image. The results demonstrated high internal consistency (.71***) of this profile. Split-half reliability analysis also ensured the reliability (.45**) of the scale. The ISIP also indicated a moderate correlation (.44**) with the self-esteem scale which established its concurrent validity. Moreover, percentile ranks were also established to determine the type of self-image. These ranks will help establish a self-image profile of an individual which will reveal the prominence of a certain type of self-image among individuals. Higher means will predict the strength of a specific type of self-image.

Keywords: self-image, adolescence, scale development.