Measuring self-confidence in workplace settings: A conceptual and methodological review of measures of self-confidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem

Abstract

Coaching is often used to improve self-confidence however little is known about how self-confidence is measured. For practitioners looking to evaluate their work, being able to measure self-confidence is key. This systematic review presents findings from a conceptual and methodological review of measures of self-confidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem and considers their use in workplace settings. Three databases (EBSCOhost business source premier, Proquest ABI/INFORM Collection and ASSIA and PsycINFO) were searched to retrieve empirical studies published up until 2017, with no lower time limit. A search of theses and dissertations was also conducted. 15 papers met the inclusion criteria providing the development and properties of 15 different measures of self-confidence. The conceptual review included a thematic analysis of the items across all measures and Skinner’s (1981) validity evidence framework was chosen to underpin the methodological review. A number of conceptual and methodological limitations of the available measures were noted. The available measures do not comprehensively measure the construct of self-confidence. Furthermore, they are limited in their design and development, their psychometric properties and validity in a workplace setting. We conclude that current measures are unlikely to measure self-confidence effectively within workplace settings and make recommendations for future developments.