Currently, strengthening self-esteem during childhood is considered essential for integral development, as it impacts children’s ability to face challenges, build positive relationships, and achieve personal goals. In this regard, factors such as cultural norms, bullying, social anxiety, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and difficulties in emotional regulation contribute to low self-esteem (Lacroix et al., 2023).

According to a report by the United Nations (NU, 2024), at least one in seven children or adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 suffers from mental disorders, including behavioral alterations, with one-third of these appearing before the age of 14. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) states that 20% of children and adolescents worldwide have mental health problems, with nearly half showing symptoms before the age of 14. Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 14, manifesting through intense feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure, and other expressions. Additionally, the isolation experienced during the pandemic has interfered with young people’s ability to relate to others—an aspect crucial for strengthening their identity, building self-esteem, and social adaptation (Cortés-Cortés, 2022). In this sense, considering that childhood is a key stage for the development of adequate self-esteem, it influences how a person interacts or performs in various areas such as family, social, academic, among others.

In the Peruvian context, the Ministry of Health (MINSA, 2023) reported having treated more than 23,600 cases of behavioral disorders in children and adolescents. In 2022, it also conducted an assessment using the PSC-17 scale to measure emotional, behavioral, and attention problems in children. The results showed that 3 out of 10 children aged between 1.5 and 5 years (32.2%) presented some type of mental health problem, placing them in the risk category. Similarly, in the group aged 6 to 11 years, 32.5% of children were also at risk of presenting at least one of these difficulties. Studies and reports on children’s self-esteem are generally scarce in our context; however, the work carried out by mental health professionals considers that, within the educational context, learning difficulties and school dropout are factors associated with low self-esteem, as they are determinant in academic performance (Acun, 2020).

Regarding the measurement of self-esteem, the literature presents studies that have examined the psychometric properties of instruments for evaluating self-esteem in adults and adolescents; however, there is limited evaluation in child populations (López-García et al., 2020). In the United Kingdom, Wood et al. (2021) conducted a study aiming to measure the internal consistency of the Rosenberg Scale, using a sample of 711 children (mean age = 9 years) and a subsample of 417 who also completed a life satisfaction scale. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and tests of factorial invariance by gender were carried out. The findings indicated an adequate fit for the global self-esteem model (χ² = 77.22; CFI = 0.961; RMSEA = 0.051) and acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.79). No significant gender-related differences in self-esteem were found, although smaller differences were detected in children aged 9 to 12 compared to those aged 7 to 8. Additionally, self-esteem showed a positive and meaningful relationship with life satisfaction. This research indicates that the CRSES version is a reliable tool to assess self-esteem in the context of child well-being.

In Spain, the adaptation and psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-32) were carried out in young people at risk of social exclusion. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research included translation, cultural adaptation, and psychometric evaluation of the scale in three stages. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated a three-factor structure, which explained 30.8% of the total variance: “Family Interaction,” “Interaction with Others,” and “Individual Skills.” Likewise, the scale showed appropriate internal consistency, with a total alpha of 0.877. In addition, a significant and positive correlation was found between resilience and self-concept, particularly in the social, academic, and family dimensions, suggesting that higher self-esteem contributes to greater resilience in youth. In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of cultural context in resilience processes and validates the CYRM-32 scale as a reliable tool for measuring resilience in vulnerable populations in Spain.

Lagonell et al. (2018) developed and tested a self-esteem scale intended for students in both Catalonia and Venezuela. Data collection took place in two stages: first, a pilot test with 300 students, followed by a second phase with 636 participants aged 6 to 9 years. Through factor analysis, the final instrument consisted of 19 items grouped into four components: social acceptance, negative feelings, school satisfaction, and self-worth. Additionally, a factorial verification was conducted in the Venezuelan sample, where the maximum likelihood estimation method indicated a good fit (CFI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.039). The results of this scale showed variations in self-esteem aspects at the beginning of the educational stage, comparing two different situations in two different contexts. However, important aspects such as family, physical, and personal self-esteem were not considered (Juul, 2003).

In Argentina, Molina et al. (2011) conducted a study emphasizing the importance of having instruments that allow the evaluation of self-perceptions and self-esteem. The procedure involved adapting the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985) for use with children in Buenos Aires (C. A. B. A.). In the initial phase, both linguistic and conceptual equivalence were achieved. In the second stage, the local version of the scale was applied to a group of 219 primary school children aged 8 to 12 from private institutions in C. A. B. A., of both sexes, with a mean age of 10.34 years (SD = 1.77). The ability to differentiate components, reliability, and structural and content validity were assessed. The findings indicated that the instrument is valid and reliable, facilitating the assessment of self-perceptions. The SPPC evaluates the child’s self-image across various domains, as well as general self-esteem.

A comprehensive and specific approach to the study of self-esteem assessment in children is offered by Serrano (2014), the author of the EDINA questionnaire. The purpose of this study was to create and validate an instrument to assess self-esteem in children aged 3 to 7 years, evaluating its validity in terms of content, comprehension, and construct. The first analysis was carried out with the participation of nine experts using the Delphi method, followed by a pilot study with 250 children, which allowed for adjustments to the experimental version. The final version consisted of 21 items distributed across five subscales (physical, personal, social, academic, and family) and was applied to a group of 1,757 children. The findings showed excellent internal consistency (α = 0.803) and positive discrimination capacity of the items. Additional analyses indicated that self-esteem fluctuates depending on age, gender, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement, which are considered relevant determining factors. The instrument was also validated in 241 schoolchildren aged 3 to 7. Content validation was carried out through expert consensus using the Delphi method, while comprehension validity was determined through questionnaire application. The initial data collected via the Delphi method led to certain modifications suggested by expert judges. The questionnaire was refined to 18 items, which demonstrated appropriate modifications in terms of content and comprehension validity. The factorial study conducted revealed four dimensions of children’s self-esteem: physical, academic, socio-emotional, and family (Mérida et al., 2015).

In Mexico, the testing and analysis of the self-esteem scale known as “IGA-2000” was conducted in a sample of 767 grocery store employees from various municipalities in Jalisco, including Guadalajara and Zapopan. Using a descriptive and cross-sectional design, the scale showed an explained variance of 56.7% and a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.892, indicating high reliability. In the principal components analysis with Varimax rotation, the items clustered into a single factor, except for two outliers (items 10 and 16). This study supports the use of the scale as a unifactorial tool. The scale verification facilitates the acquisition of reliable information about its utility and interpretation, ensuring its appropriate application in similar contexts. In the same context, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was adapted for Mexican elementary school students to measure self-esteem in children and adolescents. This process was guided by expert judgment, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding an index of 0.813, indicating an appropriate level of utility to measure self-esteem across four dimensions: general, social, academic, and home.

Self-concept is a variable that has been considered in order to guide the assessment of self-esteem. For this reason, López-García et al. (2020) examined the psychometric characteristics of the adapted version of the Piers-Harris 2 Self-Concept Scale in a selected sample of 493 students aged 7 to 12, of whom 50.5% were female, with an average academic level of fourth grade. Internal consistency was calculated using the KR-20 formula, obtaining an index of 0.87, similar to previous studies. Additionally, the analysis based on the Rasch model showed that 58 items on the scale demonstrated notable characteristics of validity, reliability, and adaptability. These findings support the application of the scale in Mexican groups of children aged 7 to 12, demonstrating that it possesses appropriate psychometric properties for this population.

In Peru, there is a lack of research validating instruments for measuring self-esteem in children. According to our sociocultural context, the instruments and scales implemented in the Spanish context to assess self-esteem have not been fully adapted, making it difficult to access complete versions. Most questionnaires or scales are lengthy and contain vocabulary that is not easy for most children—especially those aged 3 to 7—to understand (Mérida et al., 2015). It is essential to develop appropriate tools to assess children’s self-esteem, thereby promoting their emotional and social well-being in a challenging context and providing a better understanding of individual behavior (Acevedo and Carrillo, 2010).

In a group of university students from Tarapoto, Carranza and Bermúdez-Jaimes (2017) studied the psychometric characteristics of the AF5 Self-Concept Scale, developed by García and Musitu, with the participation of 861 students. The Likert-type scale consists of 30 items divided into five aspects: academic, social, emotional, family, and physical self-concept. Initially, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation was conducted, in which five factors accounted for 51.98% of the total variance. Subsequently, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out using structural equation modeling, including four specifications. The final results showed appropriate fit indices (RMSEA = 0.05; p = 0.05; TLI = 0.90; CFI = 0.92; CMIN/DF = 3.521; GFI = 0.92; and AGFI = 0.90). The instruments showed reliability levels ranging from 0.771 to 0.835. These findings are consistent with the initial results, thus confirming the AF5 as a valid and reliable instrument. These dimensions are closely related to the assessment of self-concept, as they address important aspects of self-esteem development and are similar to the dimensions of the EDINA questionnaire (Mérida et al., 2015).

In Cajamarca, a study was conducted by Sánchez-Villena et al. (2021) with the aim of analyzing the internal structure and reliability level of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). The scale was applied to 715 adolescents (51.3% female, M = 12.20). Six dimensions were identified through confirmatory factor analysis, aligning with factorial structures reported in previous research. The findings indicated greater adaptability of the unidimensional model, controlling for the impact of reverse-worded items and eliminating item 8 due to its plausibility. Reliability was confirmed using the omega coefficient. The unifactorial structure remains a topic of discussion, but it was concluded that the instrument is valid and adequate for use.

Currently, self-esteem is defined as a vital factor in confidence, security, and personal value; thus, having positive self-esteem contributes to better interaction, perception, and tolerance. Likewise, it can be referred to as an individual’s positive or negative view of their entire being (Bagley and Mallick, 2001). Similarly, self-esteem refers to a person’s evaluation of themselves and corresponds to an evaluative or affective dimension, resulting from the combination of objective information about oneself and its subjective assessment (Serrano, 2014).

According to the review of existing scales, it is evident that methodological aspects such as age have not been adequately considered. Many of the questions and responses in these instruments require participants to be able to read and write independently in most situations. Self-esteem is fundamental to individual development; for this reason, some authors argue that, in addition to the family, school is a key environment where children develop both physically and psychologically. Self-esteem begins to form from internal and external personal experiences (Serrano et al., 2016).

The development of self-esteem results from the child’s meaningful experiences within their environment, including the family, educational, and social settings. Additionally, having a more comprehensive understanding of self-esteem at an early age allows for the timely correction of various disorders that could affect future development. Positive self-esteem in children also acts as a protective factor against the onset of mental health problems, as those with higher life satisfaction tend to show higher levels of self-esteem (Muñoz-Albarracín et al., 2023). Conversely, children prone to high levels of anxiety and depression tend to have lower self-esteem and difficulties with emotional regulation (Öz and Kıvrak, 2023).

Given the issues described above, there is a need to validate an instrument capable of assessing self-esteem in Peruvian children aged 4 to 7, as such work has not yet been thoroughly conducted. This study also contributes to the validation of a tool that could support the prevention and intervention of self-esteem issues in educational settings, helping to identify students’ self-esteem levels (Mérida et al., 2015).

The findings will support the development of integrated interventions to help children with mental health problems build confidence and belief in themselves during the process of personal identity formation (Lee and Lee, 2024). The literature identifies a significant issue: the lack of validated instruments for assessing self-esteem in children. This limits the accurate identification of self-esteem levels and the implementation of effective interventions. In other words, there is limited research on the psychometric properties of instruments designed to evaluate children’s developing strengths (Navarro-Pérez et al., 2023). Therefore, a valid tool is needed to measure children’s self-esteem so that the results can be used to help prevent childhood psychopathology (Weeland et al., 2019).

Recognizing the need for a validated instrument to assess self-esteem in Peruvian children, this study proposes the replication of the EDINA questionnaire, along with the validation of its factorial structure to ensure better comprehension of the items (Mérida et al., 2015). Although instruments exist for assessing self-esteem in adult populations, studies involving children are significantly fewer. One of the main reasons why children are often excluded from such assessments is the difficulty they face in understanding the items due to their length and the reading and writing skills required (Mérida et al., 2015). Moreover, studies conducted with child populations emphasize the importance of having contextually appropriate validated psychometric instruments, which facilitate a better understanding of children’s behavior (Acevedo and Carrillo, 2010). Empirical evidence also shows that among emotional-cognitive variables, self-esteem contributes significantly to academic success. Students with high self-esteem levels tend to perform better in reasoning, executive functioning, and motivation (Pascual et al., 2019). Students with higher self-esteem scores also achieve higher levels of cognitive and motivational functioning (Quílez-Robres et al., 2021).

The present study aimed to establish and validate the psychometric properties of the EDINA Questionnaire in a Peruvian sample, which evaluates the self-assessment a person makes of themselves and corresponds to an evaluative or affective dimension. Self-esteem in childhood is a crucial construct within the context of emotional and psychological growth, as it significantly impacts mental health and the ability to cope with life. Its importance extends to being a key indicator of positive psychological outcomes in later stages of life, including academic performance. However, accurately assessing children’s self-esteem faces considerable challenges due to the limited availability of tools that are valid, reliable, and culturally sensitive. Inadequate tools can lead to misinterpretations that either underestimate or overestimate children’s emotional well-being. Therefore, validating and developing specific instruments to assess self-esteem in this population is essential, as they offer a solid foundation for effective intervention.

To confirm internal consistency in the exploratory phase (EFA), a CFA was conducted using a factorial solution based on a total of 630 children. The structure that emerged from the EFA is justified according to the guidelines of Kyriazos (2018) when validating scales in a different population. The Mardia multivariate normality test, used to verify the assumption for EFA, showed a significance level below 0.05 for KS, which supports the use of principal axis factoring (Pérez and Medrano, 2010).

Regarding item analysis, skewness and kurtosis values were within expected limits, indicating that all items demonstrated excellent discrimination capacity. The exploratory factor analysis showed a good measure of sampling adequacy with KMO = 0.978 and Bartlett’s test p = 0.000 (Watkins, 2018). Furthermore, two factorial models of the test were examined: one multidimensional, considering the five factors proposed by Mérida et al. (2015), and one unidimensional.

This study validated the adapted version of the EDINA questionnaire in a Peruvian child sample, replicating and confirming the factorial structure and reliability observed in the original version by Mérida et al. (2015), who developed the instrument to measure self-esteem in children aged 3 to 7 in Spain, obtaining appropriate goodness-of-fit indices and internal consistency (RMSEA = 0.047, GFI = 0.951). Similarly, the study by Wood et al. (2021) in the United Kingdom using the Rosenberg scale showed good internal consistency and structural fit in a child population. In the same line, the results of the present study confirmed the multifactorial structure and high reliability of the EDINA questionnaire in the Peruvian context, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients above 0.80, ensuring its accuracy and applicability (Serrano et al., 2013). However, the unidimensional model is the most appropriate.

Moreover, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the multifactorial model—including the dimensions of physical, personal, academic, social, and family self-esteem—provides a better fit than the unidimensional model. This finding aligns with international studies such as those by Lagonell et al. (2018) in Venezuela and Catalonia, and Molina et al. (2011) in Argentina, which emphasize the importance of multiple dimensions to capture the complexity of self-esteem in diverse educational contexts.

At the national level, the relevance of a validated and culturally adapted instrument is highlighted due to the lack of psychometric tools focused on Peruvian children. Therefore, studies that contribute to the understanding of positive body image are necessary (Hernández-Cruz et al., 2022), especially considering how educational and socioeconomic contexts influence the development of self-esteem, as shown by studies such as that of Carranza and Bermúdez-Jaimes (2017) in Peruvian adolescents.

One of the limitations of this study was the group administration of the questionnaire to children aged 4 to 7; however, the support of collaborators allowed for better guidance in completing the surveys. In conclusion, the validation of the EDINA questionnaire in Peru not only fills an important gap in the assessment of children’s self-esteem but also provides a reliable and culturally appropriate tool for diagnosis and intervention in educational settings, thus contributing to the development of evidence-based mental health policies for children.