Self-esteem

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Self-esteem is a term used in psychology to reflect a person's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth. It is a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself, (for example, "I am competent", "I am worthy"), as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame.

Definition[edit | edit source]

The original definition of self-esteem as proposed by Nathaniel Branden in 1969 is, "the experience of being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and being worthy of happiness". This two-factor approach, as some have also called it, provides a balanced definition that seems to be capable of dealing with limits of defining self-esteem primarily in terms of competence or worth alone.

Measurement[edit | edit source]

Self-esteem is typically assessed using self-report inventories. One of the most widely used instruments, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES) is a 10-item self-esteem scale scores that requires participants to indicate their level of agreement with a series of statements about themselves. An alternative measure, The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI), is used for children and adults.

Factors[edit | edit source]

Self-esteem can be impacted by various factors such as peer pressure, parenting, life experiences, age, health, thoughts, social circumstances, the reactions of others, and comparisons with others.

Effects[edit | edit source]

High self-esteem has a high correlation to happiness—but it does not guarantee it. Other factors include physical health, relationships, and employment.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


External links[edit | edit source]

Self-esteem Resources
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Contributors: Bonnu, Prab R. Tumpati, MD