Current Self-esteem Research Articles

Navigating the Maze: Parental Alienation, Self-Esteem and Parenting Styles

This study examines the interplay between childhood parental alienation, adult self-esteem, and parenting styles experienced during upbringing. The sample comprises 125 Romanian participants (76% female, 24% male), aged 21 to 59 (M= 33.8, SD= 8.88). Distinct datasets were formed based on the absence of either parent during childhood, enabling separate analyses for mother-child and father-child relationships. Results reveal a statistically significant negative association between childhood parental alienation and adult self-esteem. Moreover, a significant positive correlation is found between experiencing democratic parenting during childhood and current self-esteem. The study also demonstrates that the authoritarian parenting style only moderates the relationship between parental alienation and self-esteem within the father-child relationship, albeit at a low to moderate level of influence. Conversely, this effect is not observed within the mother-child relationship. These findings have been further analyzed in the context of current research on the topic, thus contributing to the comprehension, prevention and management of parental alienation, its impact on adult self-esteem, and the promotion of healthier parent-child relationships

Increases in negative affective arousal precede lower self-esteem in patients with borderline personality disorder but not in patients with depressive disorders: an experience sampling approach

BackgroundInstability in self-esteem and instability in affect are core features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). For decades, researchers and theorists have been interested in the temporal dynamics between these constructs. Some hypothesize that changes in affective states should precede changes in self-esteem (Linehan, Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, 1993), while others suggest that changes in self-esteem should precede changes in affective states (Kernberg, Borderline conditions and pathological narcissism, 1975).MethodsIn this study, we investigated the temporal relations between negative affective arousal states and current self-esteem in daily life. Patients with BPD (n = 42) or depressive disorders (DD; n = 40), and non-clinical controls (NCC; n = 40) were assessed every 15 min for 13 h.ResultsAs expected, dynamic structural equation modeling showed higher levels of average daily negative affective arousal and lower levels of average daily self-esteem in the BPD group compared with the NCC group, and scores in the DD group were in-between the BPD and the NCC groups. In line with predictions based on Linehan’s (Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, 1993) model of affective dysregulation in BPD, negative affective arousal (t) and subsequent self-esteem (t+ 1) were significantly linked only in the BPD group, implying that higher negative affective arousal is followed by lower current self-esteem in the next measurement (ca. 15 min later). Importantly, self-esteem (t) and subsequent negative affective arousal (t + 1) were not significantly related (Kernberg, Borderline conditions and pathological narcissism, 1975).ConclusionsOur findings suggest close dynamic temporal relations between affective instability and self-esteem instability in BPD, which highlights the importance of providing patients with means to effectively modulate high negative affective arousal states.

Adverse childhood experiences and mental health among incarcerated women: Self-esteem as a mediating mechanism

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health problems are interrelated. However, less is known about this relationship in incarcerated women and how self-esteem impacts this relationship. ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between ACEs and mental health problems (traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety) in incarcerated women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and, the possible role of self-esteem as a mediator of the relationship. Participants and settingIncarcerated women (N = 500) were randomly selected from eight Kentucky jails, screened for OUD, and interviewed by research staff. MethodsRegression analyses and mediation models were used to examine the relationship between ACEs, mental health, and self-esteem. ResultsACEs were positively correlated with present mental health problems (traumatic stress, r = 0.407, p < .001; depression, r = 0.177, p < .001; and anxiety, r = 0.213, p < .001) and negatively correlated with current self-esteem (r = −0.241, p < .001). Linear regression analyses established that ACEs and self-esteem were significantly related to all three mental health variables of interest. Additionally, self-esteem mediated the relationship between ACEs and mental health. ConclusionThis study shows that incarcerated women's experiences with ACEs are significantly related to poor mental health. Self-esteem plays a critical role in this relationship.

Financial, resource, and psychological impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. College students: Who is impacted and what are the implications for adjustment and well-being?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been highly disruptive for college students and has altered their living, learning, and working environments. COVID-19-related financial impact, access to needed resources, and psychological impacts are reported amongst college students, though research has yet to examine how severity and type of impact varies by student. This study investigated how undergraduate college students were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding finances, access to needed resources, and psychological well-being, and explored outcomes associated with patterns of perceived impact. Participants were 894 college students at a southeastern university who completed an online survey during the Spring 2021 semester. Students reported on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their finances, resources, and psychological health; students also reported their current self-esteem, and adjustment to college (academic and relational). Latent profile analysis was utilized to develop profiles of COVID-19-related impact. Results indicated that most participants experienced moderate levels of financial and psychological impact but low resource impact (34.6%) or experienced low impact across the range of financial, resource, and psychological domains (32.5%). Seventeen percent were highly impacted across all domains and 15.8% experienced moderate financial and resource impact but low psychological impact. Student gender identity, generational status, and first-year status were significant predictors of profile membership – student race was not associated with profile membership. Highly impacted students had significantly lower self-esteem and college adjustment compared to students in relatively less-impacted profiles.

An Experience Sampling Study on the Association Between Social Media Use and Self-Esteem

Abstract. We know little about longitudinal associations between social media use and important psychological variables such as self-esteem. Using experience sampling methodology, this study examined the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in a new and ecologically valid way. Participants ( N = 200) responded to notifications sent to their smartphones several times a day for 2 weeks and reported social media use as well as current self-esteem. Multilevel analyses revealed distinct gendered patterns: Low initial self-esteem among women predicted more frequent social media use, whereas low initial self-esteem among men was related to less frequent social media use. Moreover, recent social media use predicted lower current self-esteem for women, but not for men. Low stability of self-esteem was related to more social media use, independent of gender. The findings support the notion of a reciprocal relationship between social media use and self-esteem for women, where self-esteem level may motivate women to use social media more frequently and social media may be a source of lower self-esteem. Social media use seems to have a less detrimental effect on men.

Independent effects of entering recovery as a young versus older adult on long-term functioning and quality of life: Results from a U.S. national study of recovering persons

BackgroundFor physical health conditions, earlier intervention typically results in better prognoses and improved quality of life (QoL). Despite some evidence that early intervention yields better subsequent functioning too for behavioral health conditions like alcohol and other drug (AOD) disorders, less is known. This study examined the relationship between the life-stage at which individuals entered AOD recovery, demographic and clinical correlates, and its relationship to a variety of indices of current functioning, QoL and well-being. MethodNationally representative sample of U.S. adults who resolved an AOD problem (Weighted N = 1844). Structured regression analyses tested whether life-stage at which individuals entered recovery (i.e., as a young [18−30yrs,n = 746] vs. older [>30yrs,n = 1098] adult), was associated with current QoL, happiness, self-esteem, distress, and recovery capital, independent of confounders. Sensitivity analyses investigated effects during the first 5-years of recovery. ResultsYoung adult recovery entry was independently associated with current employment, younger age of onset for primary substance, primary substance other than alcohol, and less lifetime psychiatric comorbidity. In fully-adjusted models examining indices of functioning, no association was found between life-stage at recovery entry and current self-esteem, happiness, or distress, but an association was found between young adult recovery entry and better current functioning and QoL. This effect was even more pronounced during the first 5-years of recovery. ConclusionIrrespective of current age, duration of recovery, and clinical markers of impairment, entering recovery as a young, versus older, adult, is associated with better subsequent QoL - an advantage that appears even more discernable early in recovery.

Within- and Between-Persons Effects of Self-Esteem and Affective State as Antecedents and Consequences of Dysfunctional Behaviors in the Everyday Lives of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

Dysfunctional behaviors are conceptualized as maladaptive affective coping attempts in borderline personality disorder (BPD). The recent benefits-and-barriers model extended the affective function assumption by adding self-esteem as a barrier to engaging in dysfunctional behaviors. Patients with BPD ( N = 119) carried e-diaries to report their current self-esteem, emotional valence, tense arousal, and whether they engaged in dysfunctional behaviors 12 times a day for 4 days. Dynamic structural equation modeling revealed that on the within-person level, high momentary negative affect predicted dysfunctional behaviors, and on the between-person level, low trait self-esteem predicted dysfunctional behaviors. We also found an association between engaging in dysfunctional behaviors and momentary self-esteem and trait levels of valence and tense arousal. Moreover, our results indicate a deterioration of, rather than relief from, negative affective state after dysfunctional behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of emotion-regulation skills and reestablishing a positive self-view as important treatment targets to reduce dysfunctional behaviors in BPD.

Ethnic Identity, Self-Esteem, Resilience and Mental Health Among Immigrant and Canadian-Born Pakistani Youth

This study presents select findings from the quantitative arm of a mixed-method community-based study. The study examines ethnic identity, self-esteem, resilience, and mental health in immigrant and Canadian-born Pakistani youth from a systems perspective. Sixty-one youth aged 18–24 years participated in a survey; among these, 28 completed the survey online and 33 completed the paper-based version. Youth reported on demographics, physical health, mental, and social health, and completed the 4-item Current Self-Esteem Scale (CSE), the 15-item Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12). Descriptives’ analysis was applied to the numeric items and content analysis was applied to open-ended questions. Among the sample, 34% youth were male and 66% females, 69% were Pakistani-born, and 20% were Canadian-born. About 36% of the youth had been in Canada for 5 years or less, and 10% reported 5–10 years of stay. Eighty percent of youth (n = 46) reported good to excellent mental health, and 74% felt stressed on most days. Scores for self-esteem (CSE) [6.5 (2.13 SD)], Ethnic Identity MEIM [3.14 (0.21 SD)], and resilience (CYRM-12) [4.23 (0.23 SD)] were moderate to high. Academic success and religious and family connectedness were found to have a positive effect on youth sense of self. Higher levels of ethnic identity and higher rating on mental health in our sample suggests the healthy immigrant effect.

"The hook-up": How youth-serving organizations facilitate network-based social capital for urban youth of color.

Young people of color residing in distressed urban contexts face challenges in accessing social capital that supports positive development and the transition to educational and employment opportunities. Youth-serving organizations play potentially important roles for youth participants to access and leverage networks. This ethnographic study draws on qualitative interviews, conducted with adolescents at a youth-serving organization based in East Oakland, California, to examine how network-based social capital is activated and sustained for and by urban Black and Latinx youth. We found that relationships with supportive adult staff at the organization put youth in contact with caring, trusted adults of color outside of their families who serve as role models for them. These adults provide loving accountability to young people, serving as critical forces in distressed and stigmatized communities. We also found that adult staff activate social leverage to garner various current and future educational and professional opportunities for the youth there. These unique opportunities serve to boost young people's current self-esteem and also to prime them to envision positive futures for themselves. Overall, these findings point to the importance of interpersonal pathways embedded within neighborhood institutions in the activation of network-based social capital.

Exploration of the influence of insecure attachment and parental maltreatment on the incidence and course of adult clinical depression.

Both childhood maltreatment and insecure attachment are known to be associated with depression in adulthood. The extent insecure attachment increases the risk of adult clinical depression over that of parental maltreatment among women in the general population is explored, using those at high risk because of their selection for parental maltreatment together with an unselected sample. Semi-structured interviews and investigator-based measures are employed. Insecure attachment is highly associated with parental maltreatment with both contributing to the risk of depression, with attachment making a substantial independent contribution. Risk of depression did not vary by type of insecure attachment, but the core pathways of the dismissive and enmeshed involved the whole life course in terms of greater experience of a mother's physical abuse and their own anger as an adult, with both related to adult depression being more often provoked by a severely threatening event involving humiliation rather than loss. By contrast, depression of the insecure fearful and withdrawn was more closely associated with both current low self-esteem and an inadequately supportive core relationship. In terms of depression taking a chronic course, insecure attachment was again a key risk factor, but with this now closely linked with the early experience of a chaotic life style but with this involving only a modest number of women. Both insecure attachment and parental maltreatment contribute to an increased risk of depression with complex effects involving types of insecure attachment.

The temporal interplay of self-esteem instability and affective instability in borderline personality disorder patients' everyday lives.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is defined by a pervasive pattern of instability. Although there is ample empirical evidence that unstable self-esteem is associated with a myriad of BPD-like symptoms, self-esteem instability and its temporal dynamics have received little empirical attention in patients with BPD. Even worse, the temporal interplay of affective instability and self-esteem instability has been neglected completely, although it has been hypothesized recently that the lack of specificity of affective instability in association with BPD might be explained by the highly intertwined temporal relationship between affective and self-esteem instability. To investigate self-esteem instability, its temporal interplay with affective instability, and its association with psychopathology, 60 patients with BPD and 60 healthy controls (HCs) completed electronic diaries for 4 consecutive days during their everyday lives. Participants reported their current self-esteem, valence, and tense arousal levels 12 times a day in approximately one-hr intervals. We used multiple state-of-the-art statistical techniques and graphical approaches to reveal patterns of instability, clarify group differences, and examine the temporal interplay of self-esteem instability and affective instability. As hypothesized, instability in both self-esteem and affect was clearly elevated in the patients with BPD. In addition, self-esteem instability and affective instability were highly correlated. Both types of instability were related to general psychopathology. Because self-esteem instability could not fully explain affective instability and vice versa and neither affective instability nor self-esteem instability was able to explain psychopathology completely, our findings suggest that these types of instability represent unique facets of BPD. (PsycINFO Database Record

Correlates of bullying in Quebec high school students: The vulnerability of sexual-minority youth

PurposeBullying has become a significant public health issue, particularly among youth. This study documents cyberbullying, homophobic bullying and bullying at school or elsewhere and their correlates among both heterosexual and sexual-minority high school students in Quebec (Canada). MethodA representative sample of 8194 students aged 14–20 years was recruited in Quebec (Canada) high schools. We assessed cyberbullying, homophobic bullying and bullying at school or elsewhere in the past 12 months and their association with current self-esteem and psychological distress as well as suicidal ideations. ResultsBullying at school or elsewhere was the most common form of bullying (26.1%), followed by cyberbullying (22.9%) and homophobic bullying (3.6%). Overall, girls and sexual-minority youth were more likely to experience cyberbullying and other forms of bullying as well as psychological distress, low self-esteem and suicidal ideations. The three forms of bullying were significantly and independently associated with all mental health outcomes. ConclusionsThe results underscore the relevance of taking into account gender and sexual orientation variations in efforts to prevent bullying experience and its consequences.

Retrospective reports of attachment disruptions, parental abuse and neglect mediate the relationship between pathological narcissism and self-esteem.

Studies have shown a direct relationship between pathological narcissism and self-esteem; however, there have not been many studies that have empirically tested which theoretically relevant variables mediate this relationship. In the present study, we evaluated how self-reported, early negative childhood experiences with parental figures mediate the relationship between pathological narcissism and self-esteem. Four-hundred eight-five undergraduates from a Midwestern university retrospectively assessed their experiences of parental attachment and bonding, as well as their levels of pathological narcissism and current self-esteem. There was a significant correlation among all pathological narcissism subscales and self-esteem, except for the Exploitativeness subscale. Self-esteem was negatively correlated with all negative childhood experiences on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and was positively correlated with positive childhood experiences on the Parental Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ). The parental relationship quality was negatively associated with all but one Pathological Narcissism Inventory subscale, as was the PAQ total score. Lastly, emotional neglect on the CTQ significantly mediated the relationship between several pathological narcissism subscales and self-esteem. When investigating parental attachment and parental bonding, the quality of the relationship with the parent was a significant mediator between pathological narcissism and self-esteem. These findings demonstrate the importance of understanding the adverse effects of parental abuse and neglect on healthy development of the self and self-esteem. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Failure to prevent medication errors: We need smarter nearly error proof systems

Purpose: To determine if nurses are able to identify medication errors that have the potential to bypass computer physician order entry (CPOE) and smart ordering systems. Background: Medical care systems employ computer “smart” systems to reduce medication errors by using artificial intelligence (preprogrammed methods of decision support and error reduction). However, these systems are not perfect and they can be bypassed. Nurses who carry out the order represent the last check point in error prevention prior to the administration of medication orders. Methods: A paper exercise was created with 513 physician orders. Nurses were asked to indicate whether they would carry out the order, refuse to carry out the order, consult a pharmacist for clarification, or carry out the order with special precautions. Nurses were given the option of using any nursing or medical reference. Results: The rate of correctly identifying 23 of the contraindicated orders was low. Both experienced and inexperienced nurses had high rates of not identifying the errors despite similar use of references and requests for assistance from pharmacists. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that if an error escapes a smart system, nurses were able to identify most of these errors, but not all of these. The current system features high stress, self-esteem issues, time pressure, high volume, and high risk. The system must change radically to meet the public’s expectations of being nearly error free which can only be achieved with smarter systems that are more resistant to human errors.

The Role of Athletics in the Self-Esteem of Tomboys

Many girls self-identify as tomboys, yet little is known about their experiences. Tomboys deviate from gender stereotypes; they also may be more highly aware of gender status differences. Because tomboys may feel different from others and more keenly feel the lower status of their gender group, they may suffer from lower levels of self-esteem. Yet many tomboys also tend to participate in athletics, an activity that often leads to higher levels of self-esteem. Two studies sought to disentangle the interactive effects of tomboy identification and athleticism on self-esteem. Study 1 sampled 144 female undergraduates and Study 2 sampled 66 girls aged from 8 to 13. In both studies, greater self-identification as a tomboy during childhood was associated with lower current self-esteem, but only for less athletic participants. Tomboys who were highly athletic had high levels of self-esteem. Together these findings suggest that participating in athletics can protect tomboys from decreased self-esteem.

Adult Recall of Childhood Exposure to Parental Conflict: Unpacking the Black Box of Parental Alienation

One hundred and five undergraduate or graduate students completed a computer-based survey regarding their recollection of exposure to 20 parental alienation behaviors, current depression, and current self-esteem. Results revealed that 80% of the sample endorsed at least 1 of the 20 parental alienation behaviors, indicating some exposure to parental alienation, with 20% of the sample reporting that 1 parent tried to turn them against the other parent. Participants whose parents divorced or separated before they were 18 years old were much more likely to report exposure to parental alienation strategies than participants whose parents remained married during their childhood. No relationship was found between recalled exposure to parental alienation and current depression or self-esteem.

Revealing concealable stigmatized identities: The impact of disclosure motivations and positive first disclosure experiences on fear of disclosure and well-being.

People who live with concealable stigmatized identities face complex decisions regarding disclosure. In the current work, we examine how people's motivations for disclosing a concealable stigmatized identity for the first time affect the quality of their first disclosure experiences and how these experiences, in turn, affect current well-being. Specifically, we found that people who disclosed for ecosystem, or other-focused, reasons report more positive first disclosure experiences which, in turn, were related to higher current self-esteem. Analyses suggest that one reason why this first disclosure experience is related to current well-being is because positive first disclosure experiences may serve to lessen chronic fear of disclosure. Overall, these results highlight the importance of motivational antecedents for disclosure in impacting well-being and suggest that positive first disclosure experiences may have psychological benefits over time because they increase level of trust in others.

Concurrent and Longitudinal Predictors of Self-Esteem in Elementary and Middle School Girls

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of factors related to self-esteem, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, among 2 cohorts of girls over a period of 4 years, from elementary through middle school. A multiethnic sample of 656 elementary school girls recruited from 13 schools in Hayward, CA, and Tucson, AZ, was evaluated annually over a 4-year period. The McKnight Risk Factor Survey IV was administered, which consists of 103 questions that assess self-esteem, appearance appraisal, effect of body changes, depressed mood, teasing, school performance, and other factors. In addition, participants' heights and weights were measured. The most important predictor of self-esteem in each grade was appearance appraisal, and, in all grades but the eighth, weight-related teasing by either boys or girls was also a predictor of self-esteem. Teasing about weight was more important than body weight itself in predicting self-esteem. Self-esteem was lower in girls who were teased about their weight, even if they believed that it had no effect on how they felt about themselves. School performance predicted self-esteem in grades 6 and 8. In longitudinal analyses, the participant's current perception of her appearance was more important than her previous level of self-esteem in predicting current self-esteem. The results of this study support the need to allocate funding to address the issue of teasing as 1 of the stressors in the school environment, and to explore further the important relationship between school performance and self-esteem.

The Relationship Between Recalled Self-esteem as a Child and Current Levels of Professional Burnout among Anglican Clergy in England

This study links and tests three strands of theory concerned with explaining individual differences in levels of professional burnout in general and among religious professionals in particular. These three strands concern the significance of current self-esteem, recalled self-esteem as a child, and personality. Data were provided by a sample of 1,278 male stipendiary parochial clergy working in the Church of England who completed the modified Maslach Burnout Inventory (specially designed for use among clergy), and the short-form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (designed to measure the personality dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism), together with a semantic differential index of recalled self-esteem as a child. The bivariate correlation coefficients demonstrated significant associations between more positive self-esteem as a child and lower levels of professional burnout (higher personal accomplishment, lower emotional exhaustion and lower depersonalisation). The bivariate correlation coefficients also demonstrated significant associations between personality and professional burnout. Multiple regression analyses, however, demonstrated that the association between recalled self-esteem as a child and professional burnout largely disappeared after controlling for the personality variables. The conclusion is drawn that knowledge about the personality profile of clergy functions as a more secure predictor of susceptibility to professional burnout than knowledge about recalled self-esteem as a child.

Peritraumatic panic attacks and health outcomes two years after psychological trauma: Implications for intervention and research

Several studies have suggested that experiencing a peritraumatic panic attack (PPA) during a traumatic event predicts future mental health status. Some investigators have suggested that this finding has psychotherapeutic significance. We assessed the hypothesis that PPA was not related to longer-term health status after event exposure, once background confounders were controlled. In our study we assessed exposure to the World Trade Center disaster (WTCD) and other negative life events, demographic factors, social support, self-esteem, and panic attack onset in predicting health outcome among 1681 New York City residents 2 years after the attack. Initial bivariate results indicated that a PPA was related to a number of adverse outcomes 2 years after the WTCD, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, poor physical health, anxiety, binge drinking, and mental health treatment seeking. However, when multivariate (MV) models were estimated adjusting for potential confounders, most of these associations were either non-significant or substantially reduced. Contrary to previous predictions, these MV models revealed that recent negative life events and current self-esteem at follow-up were the best predictors of health outcomes, not PPA. Although post-trauma interventions may target individuals who experienced PPA after traumatic exposures, reducing the long-term health consequences following such exposures based on PPA alone may be problematic. Modifications of psychopathology constructs based on the reported correlation between PPA and post-trauma outcomes may be premature.