2. DEFINITION OF SELF–ESTEEM
Rosenberg (1965)
Self-esteem refers to an individual overall positive
evaluation to the self.
• High self-esteem consists of an individual respecting
himself and considering himself worthy.
Sedikides and Gress (2003)
• Self-esteem refers to individual’s perception or subjective
appraisal of one’s own self-worth, one’s feelings of self-
respect and self-confidence and the extent to which the
individual holds positive or negative views about self
Webster’s dictionary
“self-esteem is satisfaction with oneself”. Self-esteem
means “one’s good opinion of one’s dignity or worth”.
3. Brown, Dutton, and Cook (2001) distinguished three ways in
which the
term “self-esteem” is used:
(a) global or trait self-esteem to refer to the way people
characteristically feel about themselves, i.e., feelings of affection
for
Oneself
(b) self-evaluation to refer to the way people evaluate their
various
abilities and attributes, and
(c) feelings of self-esteem to refer to momentary emotional
states, e.g., a person might say her self-esteem was sky-high
after getting a big promotion, or a person might say his self-
esteem plummeted after a divorce.
4. Characteristics of Individuals with high self
esteem and low self esteem:
High Self Esteem Low Self esteem
Perceives reality
Relatively un-defensive
Spontaneous
Natural
Task centered
Self-reliant
Relationships are intimate
Feels valuable
Makes growth choices
Non-judgemental of others
Enjoys being alone
Acceptance
Avoids reality to avoid anxiety
Defensive
Reserved
Plays a role
Self-centered
Dependent
Relationships are casual
Feeling unworthy
Makes fear choices
Critical of others
A feeling of not belonging
Oriented towards approval of
others
Strive to be perfect and to avoid
mistakes
5. THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF SELF-ESTEEM
• The formation of self-esteem implies a long process.
• It is correlated with the formation of self-image and self-
conscience. Its evolution in time involves also downfall
periods especially during transition periods from one
stage to another, from one status to another, e.g., in
adolescence (due to the psycho-somatic changes), or
grand age, as a consequence of the change in status,
retirement and the change in tasks and responsibilities.
While self-esteem appears to decline during adolescence,
it increases during young adulthood
6. POSITIVE EFFECTS OF HIGH
SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem as an important determinant of emotional well-
being. Self-esteem is an important aspect of mental health.
People with high self-esteem experience more happiness,
optimism, and motivation than those with low self-esteem, as
well as less depression, anxiety, and negative mood.
• Persons with high self-esteem are more likely to persist in the
face of difficult tasks than are low self-esteem persons .
• High self-esteem people are more resilient to the vicissitudes of
life.
• A high level of self-esteem supplies individuals with the ability
to accept happy moments, to handle unpleasant situations, to
cope effectively with challenges, to engage in close
relationships and to improve their strengths.
7. • High self-esteem is also considered to positively moderate the
expression of dysfunctional schemata and depressive
symptoms at the experience of negative life events.
• Several studies have found that high self-esteem individuals
are more persistent in the face of failure than the low self-
esteem individuals. High self- esteem individuals also appear
more effective in self-regulating goal-directed behaviour
• Self-esteem is important for self-regulation and quality of life,
and the relevance of self-esteem for positive psychology.
• Self-esteem provides the energy to mobilize human behaviour
as well as contributing to its direction
8. NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF LOW SELF-
ESTEEM
• People with low self-esteem suffer from feelings of
worthlessness, inferiority, and emotional instability, so
leading to dissatisfaction with life
• Moreover, there is a tendency of respondents with low
self-esteem scores to have a general negative attitude
toward many things, including other people and personal
circumstances.
9. • Low self-esteem has been linked to depression,
aggression, less competency to overcome difficulties and
decreased level of well-being in adolescence
•
10. • Many studies have underlined the essential role of the
family environment in the formation of personality
especially in the early childhood .
• Early studies by Rosenberg (1965) and Coopersmith
(1967) showed that parental involvement and willingness
to give adolescents autonomy and freedom are positively
correlated to high self-esteem in adolescents.
11. • The period of adolescence is important for the process of self-esteem formation.
The formation of self-esteem can be stimulated, encouraged both by parents and
teachers. The level of self-esteem is mirrored in the adolescent’s attitude and
behaviour, both at home and at school.
• The adolescents with a high level of self-esteem have the following
characteristics:
1. they are capable of influencing positively the opinion and behaviour of others;
2. they tackle new situations positively and confidently;
3. they have a high level of tolerance towards frustration;
4. they accept early responsibilities,
5. they asses correctly situations;
6. they communicate positive feelings about themselves;
7. they succeed in having a good self-control and the belief that the things they
are undergoing are the result of their own behaviour and actions.
Therefore, adolescence is the critical period for the development of self-esteem
and self-identity, and low self-esteem may endanger adolescent’s emotional
regulation.
12. ASSESSING SELF-ESTEEM
• Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
• It is the most popular measure of global self-esteem.
Indeed, it is the standard with which developers of other
measures usually seek convergence. It is unidimensional
scale and face valid. It contains only 10 Likert type items
contributes to ease of administration, scoring, and
interpretation.
• The measure’s relatively high internal consistency and
test-retest reliability undoubtedly contribute to its
popularity. Possible susceptibility to social desirability
effects has not dampened its use, probably because of
similar problems with other scales. Although originally
developed for use with adolescents, this scale is also
used widely with adults
13. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
Scale: Instructions Below is a list of statements dealing with your
general feelings about yourself.
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each
statement.
1. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
2. At times I think I am no good at all.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
3. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
14. 6. I certainly feel useless at times.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
7. I feel that I'm a person of worth, at least on an equal
plane with others.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
9. All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
10. I take a positive attitude toward myself.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
15. • Scoring: Items 2, 5, 6, 8, 9 are reverse scored. Give
“Strongly Disagree” 1 point, “Disagree” 2 points, “Agree” 3
points, and “Strongly Agree” 4 points.
• Sum scores for all ten items. Keep scores on a
continuous scale. Higher scores indicate higher self-
esteem.
