The Professional Self-Esteem of Physicians Scale, Structure, Properties, and the Relationship to Work Outcomes and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This paper presents a scale to measure the professional self-esteem of physicians. It describes the scale's theoretical basis, psychometric properties, and its value for explaining physicians' well-being. Statistical analyses, conducted on data from two independent studies of physicians in Israel ( ns = 214 and 122), indicate internal consistency and construct validity of the scale. Scores on professional self-esteem are associated positively with life satisfaction and work satisfaction and negatively with burnout. Scores also correlate significantly with global self-esteem and with anxiety. The professional self-esteem scale appears to be a useful tool for explaining professionals' work performance, work-related well-being, and general well-being.