The updated Second Edition of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, one of the most widely used measures of psychological health in children and adolescents, quickly identifies youngsters who need further testing or treatment.

    Based on the child's own perceptions rather than the observations of parents or teachers, the Piers-Harris 2 assesses self-concept in individuals ages 7 to 18. It is composed of 60 items covering six subscales:

    In addition, two validity scales identify biased responding and the tendency to answer randomly.

    Test items are simple descriptive statements, written at a second-grade reading level. Children indicate whether each item applies to them by selecting a yes or no response. This usually requires just 10 to 15 minutes. (A Spanish Test Booklet is available for children who read Spanish only.)

    The Piers-Harris 2 provides a Total Score that reflects overall self-concept, plus subscale scores that permit more detailed interpretation. Nationally representative norms are based on a sample of nearly 1,400 students, ages 7 to 18, recruited from school districts throughout the U.S. Because the scales remain psychometrically equivalent to those on the First Edition, results from the Piers-Harris 2 can be compared, for research or clinical purposes, to those obtained using the original test.

    Computer scoring and interpretation is available using prepaid Mail-In Answer Sheets, CD, and FAX Service. These computerized options give you a detailed interpretive report that profiles the child's strengths and weaknesses.

    The Piers-Harris 2 is widely used in both schools and clinics. It is often administered as routine classroom screening, to identify children who might benefit from further evaluation. And it is commonly used in clinical settings to determine specific areas of conflict, typical coping and defense mechanisms, and appropriate intervention techniques. It is an ideal choice when you need a quick but comprehensive measure of self-concept in children or adolescents.