The nature and function of self-esteem: Sociometer theory

Harsh parenting trajectories from childhood through adolescence and socioemotional competences at age 18: 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Limited research has explored the course of harsh parenting practices throughout childhood and adolescence and its impact on socioemotional competences from a longitudinal perspective. This study examined the association between harsh parenting trajectories and socioemotional competences at age 18.

METHODS

Data from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort study, originally comprising 4231 live births, were used. Harsh parenting was measured using the parent-report version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale at ages 6, 11, 15 and 17 years, and trajectories were identified using a group-based modelling approach. Socioemotional competences were emotion regulation, assessed by the Emotional Regulation Index for Children and Adolescents; self-esteem, measured by the self-report Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale; prosocial behaviour and peer relationship problems, both assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multivariate linear and Poisson regression models were applied to examine the effects of harsh parenting trajectories on socioemotional competences, adjusting for confounding variables.

RESULTS

We identified three trajectories: a "low harsh parenting" trajectory (49.7 %), a "moderate harsh parenting" (44.7 %), and a "high harsh parenting" trajectory (5.6 %). Compared to those belonging to the low harsh parenting trajectory group, adolescents who experienced either a moderate or high harsh parenting trajectory exhibited lower scores in emotion regulation, self-esteem, and prosocial behaviour scales, along with higher scores of peer relationships problems.

LIMITATIONS

Data on harsh parenting at 15 and 17 years were available only for a sub-sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study extends the evidence of the adverse effects of persistent harsh parenting on socioemotional competences during adolescence.

Self-Esteem and Sexual Experiences

There is evidence that people with higher self-esteem tend to have more satisfying sexual relationships, but little is known about how changes in people's self-esteem and sexual experiences are related over time. Several theories predict reciprocal effects between self-esteem and sexual experiences. The present study tested these theories using 12-wave longitudinal data from more than 11,000 participants of a representative sample in Germany. Data were analyzed using Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Models. Results indicated significant between-person associations between stable levels of self-esteem and both the frequency and the quality of sexual experiences. Moreover, we found reciprocal within-person transactions between self-esteem and sexual satisfaction but not sexual frequency. Overall, the present pattern of results provides evidence for theories that consider self-esteem as both a source and consequence of intimate sexual relationships.

Using Conditional Entropy Networks of Ordinal Measures to Examine Changes in Self-Worth Among Adolescent Students in High School

We implement an analytic approach for ordinal measures and we use it to investigate the structure and the changes over time of self-worth in a sample of adolescents students in high school. We represent the variations in self-worth and its various sub-domains using entropy-based measures that capture the observed uncertainty. We then study the evolution of the entropy across four time points throughout a semester of high school. Our analytic approach yields information about the configuration of the various dimensions of the self together with time-related changes and associations among these dimensions. We represent the results using a network that depicts self-worth changes over time. This approach also identifies groups of adolescent students who show different patterns of associations, thus emphasizing the need to consider heterogeneity in the data.

Job burnout and anxiety among medical staff: A latent profile and moderated mediation analysis

BACKGROUND

Due to work pressure, work intensity, and the impact of emergencies such as the epidemic, job burnout and mental health problems among medical staff have become increasingly prominent.

OBJECTIVES

Our study aims to characterize the patterns of burnout in Chinese medical staff, explore the profile differences on anxiety and self-esteem, examine whether the differences in these profiles on anxiety were mediated by self-esteem, and investigate whether this mediating process was moderated by positive coping styles among medical staff.

METHODS

Data were collected from 602 medical staff in China by a convenient sampling method. A latent profile and moderated mediation analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Latent profile analysis on three burnout dimensions [emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy] indicated two burnout profiles: low burnout (82.47% of the sample) and high burnout (17.53%). Medical staff with a low burnout profile had lower levels of emotional exhaustion and cynicism than those with a high burnout profile. It was also determined that self-esteem mediates burnout and anxiety in both high- and low-burnout medical staff. The moderating role of positive coping styles was also identified (β = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.058-0.550).

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of two distinct burnout patterns (low burnout and high burnout) provides clinical administrators with clear goals for individualizing support and interventions for medical staff with different levels of burnout. Furthermore, attention should be given to self-esteem and positive coping styles, as they act as potential mediators and moderators of medical staff's mental health problems.

The Social Failure Model: Do Classroom Norms Play a Role in the Development of Antisocial Behavior and Depressive Symptoms?

This study examined the moderating role of descriptive and status norms in the stability of youth's antisocial behavior, and the link between initial antisocial behavior and the development of depressive symptoms over the course of one academic year, while controlling for initial depression levels. A total of 1081 students (51.06% girls; grades 4 through 6) in schools in low to average socio-economic status neighborhoods completed self-reports and a peer nomination inventory in the fall (T1) and spring (T2) of one year. Descriptive norms were operationalized as the classroom- and sex-specific mean level of antisocial behavior. Status norms were operationalized as the classroom- and sex-specific correlation between antisocial behavior and social preference. Descriptive norms moderated the link between T1 and T2 antisocial behavior, such that youth exhibiting high levels of antisocial behavior showed a greater increase in antisocial behavior in classrooms where descriptive norms strongly favored such behavior (i.e., + 1 SD) than in classrooms with neutral or weak descriptive norms (i.e., - 1 SD). Status norms moderated the association between T1 antisocial behavior and T2 depressive symptoms, such that youth with high levels of antisocial behavior had higher depressive symptoms in classrooms where status norms disfavored antisocial behavior than in classrooms with neutral or favorable norms. No moderating effects of sex or grade were observed. These results suggest that both descriptive norms and status norms play important, albeit distinct, roles in exacerbating youth's depressive symptoms and antisocial behavior, but they may also mitigate these same outcomes in favorable contexts.

Effects of social media use on employment anxiety among Chinese youth: the roles of upward social comparison, online social support and self-esteem

Based on the continuous development of new media and mobile communication technologies, social media has significantly influenced people's daily thoughts and behaviors. For young people, social media is a platform for social interaction, and studies have found that social media helps Chinese graduates find employment. This study examined how social media use and its related factors affect employment anxiety. The data was collected from 1,204 Chinese youth through an online survey. The results showed that: (1) the intensity of social media use had a positive predictive effect on employment anxiety; (2) upward social comparison and online social support individually separately mediate the positive relationship between the intensity of social media use and employment anxiety; and (3) self-esteem negatively moderates the effect of upward social comparison and effect of online social support on employment anxiety. The study underscores the importance of reasonable social media usage strategies, positive social perception, and healthy self-perception for fostering a positive employment mindset among youth.

Linking Self-Esteem to Problematic Mobile Phone Use: A Moderated Mediation Model of Fear of Missing Out and Ruminative Subtypes

Low self-esteem has been identified as a risk factor for problematic mobile phone use (PMPU). However, the magnitude of self-esteem's effect on PMPU varied across different studies. Drawing on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model and the response styles theory, this study developed a moderated mediation model to investigate the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) and the moderating roles of ruminative subtypes (i.e., brooding and reflection) in the relationship between self-esteem and PMPU. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 806 undergraduate students (Mage = 19.35 years, SD = 1.18) using the convenience sampling method. Results showed that self-esteem was negatively associated with PMPU. Mediation analysis revealed that the association between self-esteem and PMPU was mediated by FoMO. Furthermore, moderated mediation analyses revealed that the mediating effect of FoMO was moderated by both brooding and reflection, such that the indirect effect became stronger for individuals with higher levels of brooding/reflection. These findings add to previous research by shedding light on how (i.e., mediation) and under what conditions (i.e., moderation) self-esteem is associated with PMPU and have implications for early prevention and intervention of individual PMPU.

Gender differences in relation to stigmatization and depressive symptoms after burns

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the moderating role of gender in the relationship between burn severity, perceived stigmatization and depressive symptoms at multiple time points postburn.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This multi-center study included data from two cohorts. Cohort 1 consisted of 215 burn survivors, participating in a longitudinal study with measures at 3 and 12 months postburn. Cohort 2 consisted of 180 burn survivors cross-sectionally assessed at 5 - 7 years postburn. Both cohorts completed self-reported measures of perceived stigmatization and depressive symptoms. The number of acute surgeries (i.e., no surgery, 1 surgery or 2 or more surgeries) was used as indicator of burn severity. Relations between number of surgeries, depressive symptoms, and perceived stigmatization, including possible indirect effects, were evaluated with gender-specific path models.

RESULTS

In both men and women, number of surgical operations was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms and perceived stigmatization at 3 months after burn. In women, number of operations was still directly related to both constructs at 12 months after burn, which was cross-sectionally confirmed in the 5-7 years after burn cohort. In men, from 3 to 12 months after burn, depressive symptoms and perceived stigmatization were bidirectionally related, and, through these effects, number of surgeries was indirectly related to both outcomes. In the cross-sectional 5-7 years after burn cohort, number of operations was related to stigma but not to depressive symptoms of men.

CONCLUSION

Number of operations had a different effect on psychosocial adaptation of male and female burn survivors. In women, a persistent direct link from number of operations to both depressive symptoms and perceived stigmatization was found over time. In men, the effect of number of operations was most evident in the short-term, after which perceived stigmatization and depressive symptoms became interrelated. This indicates that burn severity remains a factor of significance in psychological adjustment in women, whereas in men, this significance seems to decrease over time.

The effect of approach and avoidance motivation on self-perception

This work addresses the link between motivation and self-perception by systematically studying visual self-representations. We propose that the way individuals perceive themselves may be associated with dispositional and situationally induced approach and avoidance motivation. First, we investigate how dispositional differences in approach/avoidance motivation and self-esteem relate to self-perception. Second, we investigate how state differences in approach/avoidance motivation relate to self-perception. Based on motivation literature, we predicted that self-perception would reflect psychological equanimity at the dispositional level (seeing the self in a favorable light), and motivational flexibility at the situational level (situational avoidance motivation results in a more realistic view of one's qualities). We use up-to-date face modeling methods to measure individuals' self-perceptions in a systematic, nuanced, and implicit way: Participants are repeatedly asked to indicate which of two portrait versions better represents themselves. Then we relate distortions in self-perceptions to agency and communion dimensions. We demonstrate that (1) participants low in self-esteem show more communion enhancement than participants high in self-esteem; (2) participants in an avoidance state show less agency enhancement (i.e., more realistic self-perceptions) than participants in an approach state. This research is first to demonstrate regularities in visual self-perception that are linked to approach and avoidance motivation.

The role of personal, relational, and collective self-esteem in predicting acute salivary cortisol response and perceived stress

Personal self-esteem (PSE) has been well recognized as a buffer against stress; however, the effects of other types of self-esteem, such as relational self-esteem (RSE) and collective self-esteem (CSE), on stress have not been adequately explored. This study investigated the roles of PSE, RSE, and CSE in reducing stress response. The Rosenberg, Relational, and Collective Self-Esteem Scales were adopted to assess PSE, RSE, and CSE, respectively. Participants underwent an acute social stress paradigm, and their acute stress response was assessed using subjective stress reports and salivary cortisol levels. Chronic stress level was estimated using the Perceived Stress Scale and hair cortisol concentration. The results showed that PSE was negatively correlated with salivary cortisol response during acute social stress; however, no significant associations were found between any type of self-esteem and subjective stress reports. For chronic stress, all types of self-esteem were negatively associated with perceived stress level, but not with hair cortisol concentration. Further hierarchical regression analyses suggested that only PSE negatively predicted acute salivary cortisol response and perceived stress level. Overall, the findings suggest the essential role of PSE in predicting acute salivary cortisol responses and perceived stress.

The moderating effects of perceived social worth and organizational virtuousness on the relationship between emotional labor, precarious work, and organizational commitment among ASHA workers in India

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in India are the subjects of this study, which explores the complex relationships between emotional labor (EL) and unstable work environments and how these relationships affect organizational commitment (OC). The study also looked at how organizational virtuousness (OV) and perceived social value mediated the relationship between precarious work (PW), EL, and OC. This study included a total sample size of N = 467 ASHA personnel from a variety of healthcare settings. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to look at the moderating effects using the Hayes Process Macro. The findings suggest that there are noteworthy negative associations between EL, PW, and the OC of ASHA workers. Nevertheless, OV and perceived social worth (PSW) emerged as significant moderators. More precisely, elevated levels of PSW and OV mitigated the adverse effects of PW and EL on the OC of ASHA workers.

Don't Worry About Being You: Relations Between Perceived Authenticity and Mental Health are Due to Self-Esteem and Executive Functioning

Numerous studies show that perceived authenticity is a reliable predictor of mental health outcomes. To expand on these studies, we examined whether such relations could be due to perceived authenticity's confounding with both self-esteem and executive functioning. A representative sample of US participants (N = 446; Mage = 46.10; 51.1% female; 78.0% White) completed measures of perceived authenticity, self-esteem, executive functioning, and various indicators of mental health (e.g., subjective wellbeing, depression). At the bivariate level, perceived authenticity had a positive, large correlation with a mental health composite. However, after controlling for self-esteem and executive functioning, this relationship became nonsignificant and trivial in size. The findings extend basic understanding of how self-relevant constructs contribute to mental health and suggest advice for individuals looking to capitalize on evidence linking perceived authenticity to mental health benefits: Build a strong base of self-worth and exercise agency.

The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide in Italian University Students: Validation of the INQ-15 and the ACSS-FAD

In the frame of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (IPTS), Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ-15) assesses thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB), related to suicidal ideation (SI); Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale-Fearlessness About Death (ACSS-FAD) measures this component which contributes to lethal self-harm. The objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of INQ-15 and ACSS-FAD in a population of Italian university students. Since the Italian INQ-15 was already validated, we translated ACSS-FAD through a multistage procedure and administered both to 1,665 Italian university students. Factor analysis confirmed a two-factor-related model of INQ-15, one factor of ACSS-FAD, and good reliability for both. We proved the association between INQ-15 and current SI and between ACSS-FAD and lifetime suicidal planning and/or suicide attempt. The convergent and discriminant validities were in line with those of previous studies. Both tools are valid and reliable to assess the constructs associated with suicide outcomes according to IPTS.

Adverse childhood experiences and self-esteem among adolescents: The role of social capital and gender

INTRODUCTION

Adverse childhood experiences have long-lasting effects on the self-esteem of adolescents. However, the extrinsic mechanism linking them to self-esteem, which is more modifiable, has rarely been examined. Therefore, this study examined the mediating roles of family, school, and peer social capital and the moderating role of gender in the association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self-esteem.

METHODS

This study involved a cross-sectional survey of first- and second-grade students in the only high school in Wusu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Data were collected in May 2023. A sample of 2539 students (M = 16.84 years old; 55.65% female) was included. The measurement models of family, school, and peer social capital were constructed using confirmatory factor analysis. The mediating roles of the three types of social capital and the moderating role of gender were examined using mediation analysis and multiple-group analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

Family, school, and peer social capital significantly mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent self-esteem, and family social capital played the strongest role. Gender significantly moderated the direct effect of adverse childhood experiences on self-esteem. The direct effect was significant only among girls.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underscores the protective role of social capital for self-esteem among adolescents in Northwestern China and similar areas with relatively limited social services. Comprehensive interventions promoting social capital, especially family social capital, should be conducted to enhance self-esteem among adolescents.

Physical Activity and Interpersonal Adaptation in Chinese Adolescents After COVID-19: The Mediating Roles of Self-Esteem and Psychological Resilience

Previous studies have implied that physical activity profoundly influences interpersonal adaptation. However, this effect and its mechanisms have not been directly verified, especially for adolescents. This study examines the association between physical activity and interpersonal adaptation in adolescents through self-esteem and psychological resilience after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Participants included 542 Chinese adolescents (aged 13-18 years; 242 boys and 300 girls). Adolescents in China anonymously completed a series of questionnaires, including the PARS-3 Scale of PE Activity Grade (PARS-3), the Self-esteem Scale (SES), the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (RSCA), and the Interpersonal Adaptation Scale. The results showed that physical activity positively correlated with self-esteem, psychological resilience, and interpersonal adaptation. Additionally, self-esteem and psychological resilience serially mediated the impact of physical activity on interpersonal adaptation. The findings highlight the positive impact of physical activity on adolescent interpersonal adaptation by strengthening positive psychological resources in the post-pandemic era.

The role of explicit and implicit self-esteem in the relationship between childhood trauma and adult depression and anxiety

BACKGROUND

Self-esteem is an important psychological concept that can be measured explicitly (reflective processing) and implicitly (associative processing). The current study examined 1) the association between childhood trauma (CT) and both explicit and implicit self-esteem, and 2) whether self-esteem mediated the association between CT and depression/anxiety.

METHODS

In 1479 adult participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, CT was assessed with a semi-structured interview, depression/anxiety symptoms with self-report questionnaires and explicit and implicit self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Implicit Association Test, respectively. ANOVAs and regression analyses determined the association between CT (no/mild/severe CT), its subtypes (abuse/neglect) and self-esteem. Finally, we examined whether self-esteem mediated the relationship between CT and depression/anxiety.

RESULTS

Participants with CT reported lower explicit (but not lower implicit) self-esteem compared to those without CT (p < .001, partial η2 = 0.06). All CT types were associated with lower explicit self-esteem (p = .05 for sexual abuse, p < .001 for other CT types), while only emotional neglect significantly associated with lower implicit self-esteem after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (p = .03). Explicit self-esteem mediated the relationship between CT and depression/anxiety symptoms (proportion mediated = 48-77 %).

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design precludes from drawing firm conclusions about the direction of the proposed relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that the relationship between CT and depression/anxiety symptoms can at least partly be explained by explicit self-esteem. This is of clinical relevance as it points to explicit self-esteem as a potential relevant treatment target for people with CT.

Love beyond gluten: self-esteem, illness identity, and social support in romantic rejection concerns among adolescents with celiac disease

Introduction

Fear of stigmatization, high perceived partner burden, or refraining from self-disclosure may manifest in romantic rejection concerns among adolescents with celiac disease (CD), potentially impacting their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study examined the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of romantic rejection concerns among adolescents and young adults with CD.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 165 German adolescents and young adults (aged 14-22) with self-reported CD. Participants completed measures of romantic rejection concerns, illness identity, self-esteem, peer support, and CD-specific HRQOL.

Results

Participants reported moderate levels of concerns about the impact of CD on their romantic relationships, with no significant gender differences. Participants involved in romantic relationships expressed lower concerns of rejection, but similar preference for a "gluten-free partner." Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that higher illness acceptance and peer support predicted lower rejection concerns. Significant interactions emerged between self-esteem and illness acceptance, and between self-esteem and peer support. Higher illness acceptance predicted fewer rejection worries only among those with high self-esteem, while peer support played a mitigating role only for those with low self-esteem. Romantic rejection concerns significantly predicted lower CD-specific HRQOL across all domains.

Discussion

Anxieties about CD's impact on romantic relationships are prevalent among adolescents and may hinder their HRQOL. The findings highlight the complex interplay between self-esteem, illness identity, and social support in shaping romantic concerns. Targeted interventions focusing on peer support and fostering positive illness identity are recommended to alleviate rejection fears and improve HRQOL among youth with CD.

Home alone yet optimistic: social identity management amidst comparative pessimism

In three studies (N = 553) we found that despite reporting that others enjoy a more active social life than they do, participants believed that they possessed more social traits than their peers (Study 1), that their level of social activity exceeds the necessary standards for living a satisfying social life (Study 2), and that their social lives would improve significantly in the future (Study 3). Additionally, people were not comparatively pessimistic about the number of close friends they have (Studies 1 and 3), and their pessimism about their social engagement was associated with lowered perceived importance of the social activities in question (Study 3). Taken together, these findings suggest that people's outlook on their social lives is not as grim as others have suggested, but rather, self-enhancing beliefs reside comfortably alongside individuals' acknowledgments of their social deficits.

Perceiving a Stable Self-Concept Enables the Experience of Meaning in Life

We test the hypothesis that the perception of stability in one's self-concept (i.e., future self-continuity) enables the experience of meaning in life because perceiving a stable sense of self confers a sense of certainty to the self-concept. Study 1 provided initial evidence of the influence of future self-continuity on feelings of meaning in life (MIL) in a nationally representative sample. In Studies 2a and 2b, we manipulated future self-continuity by varying the expectedness of one's future self, demonstrating the causal influence of future self-continuity on self-certainty and feelings of MIL. Study 3 again manipulated future self-continuity, finding an indirect effect on feelings of meaning in life via self-certainty. Our findings thus suggest the experience of meaning in life arises from the perception of a stable sense of self. We discuss the implications for the antecedents and conceptualization of MIL as well as the nature of the self-concept.

People are surprisingly hesitant to reach out to old friends

Social relationships provide one of the most reliable paths to happiness, but relationships can fade for various reasons. While it does not take much to reinitiate contact, here we find that people are surprisingly reluctant to do so. Specifically, most people reported losing touch with an old friend yet expressed little interest in reaching out (Studies 1-2, Ns = 401 and 199). Moreover, fewer than one third of participants sent a message to an old friend, even when they wanted to, thought the friend would be appreciative, had the friend's contact information, and were given time to draft and send a message (Studies 3-4, Ns = 453 and 604). One reason for this reluctance may be that old friends feel like strangers. Supporting this possibility, participants were no more willing to reach out to an old friend than they were to talk to a stranger (Study 5, N = 288), and were less willing to contact old friends who felt more like strangers (Study 6, N = 319). Therefore, in Study 7 (N = 194), we adapted an intervention shown to ease anxieties about talking to strangers and found that it increased the number of people who reached out to an old friend by two-thirds.

Family Income and Child Depression: The Chain Mediating Effect of Parental Involvement, Children's Self-Esteem, and Group Differences

Family income is an important factor that affects depression in children and can indirectly be associated with children's development through family and individual factors. However, few studies have examined the mechanism of multiple risk factors. Therefore, this study focused on the relationship between family income and child depression, as well as the chain mediating the roles of parental involvement and children's self-esteem both in single-parent families and intact families. A total of 1355 primary school students completed questionnaires that assessed family income, parental involvement, children's self-esteem, and depression. The results showed that family income influenced child depression through both the mediating roles of parental involvement and children's self-esteem and the chain mediating role of parental involvement and children's self-esteem. Meanwhile, family income only influenced child depression through chain mediation in single-parent families. The group differences in the mechanism of depression provide a reference for empirical research on depression intervention in children from different family structures.

Exploring self-esteem and personality traits as predictors of mental wellbeing among Chinese university students: the mediating and moderating role of resilience

Introduction

The mental health of university students is influenced by a variety of factors, including self-esteem and personality traits, with resilience playing a crucial role in mediating and moderating these relationships. This study investigates the intricate dynamics affecting mental well-being in Chinese university students, focusing on the roles of self-esteem, personality traits, and the interventional effects of resilience.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 689 students, aged on average 20.3 years, between April and July 2022. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) was used to assess mental well-being, while resilience, personality traits, and self-esteem were evaluated using the revised Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Chinese version of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2), and the Texas Social Behavior Inventory (TSBI), respectively.

Results

Analysis revealed significant correlations between self-esteem, personality traits, and both resilience and mental well-being. Resilience was found to partially mediate the relationship between self-esteem and mental well-being and fully mediate certain aspects of the relationship between personality traits and mental well-being. Additionally, tenacity and autonomy were identified as moderators in the link between specific personality traits and mental well-being.

Discussion

The findings highlight the complex interplay between self-esteem, personality traits, resilience, and mental well-being, underscoring the critical role of resilience. This insight is pivotal for developing targeted interventions to bolster mental well-being among university students, emphasizing the need for multifaceted support strategies to enhance student mental health.

Materialism and Problematic Social Network Sites Use Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem and Self-Control

Prior studies have ascertained some risk factors of problematic social network sites use (PSNSU). Nevertheless, few research has examined the potential impact of materialism on PSNSU, as well as underlying mechanisms between this relationship. The present study investigated whether materialism would be linked with adolescents' PSNSU and whether self-esteem and self-control would mediate them. A sample of 1238 Chinese adolescents (53.6% females) completed measurements regarding demographics, materialism, PSNSU, self-esteem, and self-control. After controlling for gender and age, the results indicated that: (a) materialism was positively correlated with PSNSU; (b) materialism can indirectly affect PSNSU through the mediating effects of self-control; and (c) materialism can indirectly affect PSNSU through the sequential mediating role of self-esteem and self-control. These findings not only provide a new perspective for the cultivation of adolescents' values, but also contribute an important driving force for the prevention and intervention of adolescents' PSNSU in the information technology era.

Feeling our place in the world: an active inference account of self-esteem

Self-esteem, the evaluation of one's own worth or value, is a critical aspect of psychological well-being and mental health. In this paper, we propose an active inference account of self-esteem, casting it as a sociometer or an inferential capacity to interpret one's standing within a social group. This approach allows us to explore the interaction between an individual's self-perception and the expectations of their social environment.When there is a mismatch between these perceptions and expectations, the individual needs to adjust their actions or update their self-perception to better align with their current experiences. We also consider this hypothesis in relation with recent research on affective inference, suggesting that self-esteem enables the individual to track and respond to this discrepancy through affective states such as anxiety or positive affect. By acting as an inferential sociometer, self-esteem allows individuals to navigate and adapt to their social environment, ultimately impacting their psychological well-being and mental health.

Personal and social protective factors of cyberhate: A general strain theory approach

Adolescents of today grow up in a connected world. While online communication offers great opportunities, it can also have negative impact on adolescents' life. In this work, we are interested in the use of online communication tools to share and create cyberhate content. Anchored in the general strain theory, we studied how social support (i.e., parental, peers and teacher support) may be related to cyberhate perpetration. We further tested how personal characteristics such as empathy, self-esteem and anxiety could predict the propensity to be involved as cyberhate perpetrators. We collected self-reported questionnaires of 1019 French young people (13.04 years; ranging from 9 to 17) and measured their perceived (a) parental, (b) peers and (c) teachers' support as well as their (d) empathy/benevolence, (e) self-esteem and (f) anxiety. We also measured cyberhate perpetration and the association between perpetration, social support and personal characteristics. Our results highlight that parental and teacher support represent protective factors for cyberhate perpetration. Our results further suggest that self-esteem is negatively linked to the propensity to cyberhate perpetration.

Insecure Parental Attachment and Anxiety in Vocational College Students: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Self-Esteem

Purpose

Although insecure parental attachment (IPA) has been shown to play an important role in anxiety, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Patients and Methods

In the present study, we examined the mediating role of subjective well-being (SWB) in the association between IPA and anxiety and the moderating role of self-esteem. 947 Chinese vocational college students completed the measures of IPA, anxiety, SWB, and self-esteem.

Results

The results indicated that IPA was significantly and positively associated with anxiety, and SWB partially mediated this relationship. Moreover, the results indicated that self-esteem moderated the relationship between IPA and anxiety. The higher the level of self-esteem, the weaker the effect of insecure attachment on the anxiety of vocational college students.

Conclusion

This study highlights the significance of identifying the mechanisms of mediating and moderating paths between IPA and anxiety in vocational college students.

Adult Attachment Questionnaire: evidence of validity in a sample of IPVAW offenders

Introduction

Adult attachment can be understood as a cognitive and emotional system concerning oneself and others, based on previous attachment experiences throughout life. This system automatically affects relationships with others. Because of its importance in the interpersonal domain, it has been studied on numerous occasions in research on intimate partner violence. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence of validity of the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ) in a sample of 331 men convicted of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW).

Methods

The AAQ assesses adult attachment style in four dimensions that, together, yield four attachment categories. A psychometric analysis was performed, including reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis of the items, which ratified the factorial structure of the questionnaire. For a correct fit of the model, it was necessary to eliminate 4 of the items from the original scale.

Results

A latent profile analysis was also carried out, which identified four attachment styles: secure, preoccupied/anxious, avoidant/dismissing and fearful. Reliability indices were adequate. In general, the attachment profiles obtained ranges and means similar to those found in the general population study. The distribution of attachment styles was not equal: 50.57% of the participants presented secure attachment, 4.57% avoidant/dismissing attachment, 36.9% preoccupied/anxious, and 8.57% fearful.

Discussion

In conclusion, a valid and reliable instrument was determined based on the original AAQ scale to measure attachment in men convicted of IPVAW.

The Association between Women's History of Sexual Abuse, Mental Health, and Sexual Motivations in Committed Intimate Relationships

In committed intimate relationships, motivations for engaging in or avoiding sexual relations can indicate partners' perceptions, needs, and attitudes toward sexual intimacy, and reflect sexual functioning. Sexual motivations can be positive, reflecting and advancing relational goals, such as establishing and maintaining closeness between partners and pleasure, or negative, stemming out of fear of one's partner, pleasing them, or depriving sexual contact to punish the partner or establish relational power. In this study, we extended the current conceptualization and assessment of negative sexual motivations to explore the associations between women's history of sexual abuse, their mental health, and their negative sexual motivations. Structural equation modeling results from 236 adult Israeli women who were in committed intimate relationships indicated that a woman's history of sexual abuse negatively predicted her mental health which, in turn, negatively predicted her negative sexual motivations. Mental health mediated the association between a woman's history of sexual abuse and her negative sexual motivations. These findings have theoretical and empirical contributions to research in terms of the short- and long-term effects of sexual abuse on women, mental health, and women's sexuality. Their clinical implications for mental health professionals, sexual therapists, and clinicians working with women who experience sexual abuse are also discussed.

Associations among Parental Phubbing, Self-esteem, and Adolescents' Proactive and Reactive Aggression: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study in China

Parental phubbing, as a new risk factor for adolescents' healthy development, has been noticed by scholars. However, few studies have clarified the associations between parental phubbing and adolescents' proactive and reactive aggression and the potential mediating mechanisms. To address the gaps, the current study explored the longitudinal associations among parental phubbing, self-esteem, and adolescents' proactive and reactive aggression by using the parallel process latent growth curve model and the cross-lagged panel model. The current study involved 2407 Chinese adolescents (girls were 1202, Mage = 12.75, SD = 0.58 at baseline, range = 11-16). Results indicated that parental phubbing significantly positively predicted adolescents' reactive aggression but not proactive aggression. Self-esteem significantly predicted the adolescents' reactive and proactive aggression. Self-esteem significantly mediated the associations between parental phubbing and adolescents' proactive and reactive aggression, respectively. These findings suggest that intervening with parental phubbing is a promising way to reduce adolescents' reactive aggression, and promoting adolescents' self-esteem is an effective approach to prevent their proactive and reactive aggression.

Self-esteem buffers the stress sensitizing effect of childhood maltreatment on adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury

BACKGROUND

Adversity in childhood increases the risk of psychopathology, perhaps by influencing sensitivity to recent stressful life events (SLEs). However, little is known about the stress-sensitizing effect of childhood adversity on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), whether stress sensitization exists in specific types of SLEs, and the stress-buffering effect of self-esteem. This study aimed to investigate whether exposure to child maltreatment increases adolescent's vulnerability to the effects of dependent and independent SLEs on later NSSI and whether self-esteem buffers this risk.

METHODS

We conducted a two-wave study with 18-month intervals. 601 Chinese adolescents completed self-report measures of child maltreatment, SLEs, self-esteem, and NSSI.

RESULTS

Results supported the stress sensitization hypothesis for child maltreatment regarding dependent SLEs, with dependent SLEs significantly predicting later NSSI only in maltreated adolescents. Moreover, self-esteem buffered the relationship between dependent SLEs and NSSI in maltreated adolescents but amplified the relationship in non-maltreated adolescents. In the maltreated group, dependent SLEs predicted increased NSSI only in those with low self-esteem. In contrast, in the control group, dependent SLEs were significantly associated with NSSI in individuals with high self-esteem.

LIMITATIONS

We did not collect information on the timing of exposure to child maltreatment. Future studies that assess child maltreatment during critical periods of development may be able to identify sensitive period in which maltreatment sensitizes individuals to stress in adolescents.

CONCLUSION

Findings provide preliminary evidence that child maltreatment has a stress-sensitizing effect on adolescent NSSI. Improving self-esteem may mitigate the associations between SLEs and NSSI in adolescents exposed to child maltreatment.

The bidirectional associations between self-esteem and problematic eating behaviors in adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Theories propose that low self-esteem and problematic eating behaviors (PEBs) negatively impact each other. While previous studies suggested bidirectional associations between self-esteem and PEBs, they did not separate within-person from between-person associations. Therefore, this prospective study investigated the within-person bidirectional associations between self-esteem and four PEBs in adolescence, while accounting for between-person differences.

METHOD

We used two independent longitudinal samples of Dutch adolescents, each including three annually collected waves of data. Sample 1 consisted of 1856 adolescents (Baseline: 50.4% males; Mage  = 13.79 years, SDage  = 0.72), with measures of self-esteem, emotional eating, restrained eating, and loss of control (LOC) while overeating. Sample 2 consisted of 555 adolescents (Baseline: 49.7% males; Mage  = 13.13 years, SDage  = 0.68), with measures of self-esteem and LOC eating. The data were analyzed using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs).

RESULTS

Within persons, lower self-esteem was associated with higher emotional and restrained eating (both Sample 1) one year later, and vice versa. Self-esteem did not predict, nor was predicted by, LOC while overeating (Sample 1) or LOC eating (Sample 2). Between persons, self-esteem was negatively correlated with all PEBs (Samples 1 and 2).

DISCUSSION

We found within-person bidirectional associations between low self-esteem and emotional and restrained eating (but not LOC while overeating/LOC eating), and between-person correlations between low self-esteem and all PEBs. These results have theoretical and practical implications. Within-person processes clarify underlying mechanisms that explain the occurrence of PEBs; between-person associations are important to identify adolescents at risk of PEBs.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

While theories indicate that low self-esteem and PEBs are inversely associated within individuals, empirical studies have not disentangled within-person processes from between-person differences. This study addressed this disparity, finding that lower self-esteem was bidirectionally associated with higher emotional and restrained eating (but not LOC eating) within persons. These findings suggest that enhancing self-esteem is a viable option for prevention and intervention.

The dimensional structure of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and predictors of camouflaging in a representative general population sample

OBJECTIVES

Some autistic people "camouflage" their differences by modeling neurotypical behaviors to survive in a neurotypical-dominant social world. It remains elusive whether camouflaging is unique to autism or if it entails similar experiences across human groups as part of ubiquitous impression management (IM). Here we examined camouflaging engagement and theoretical drivers in the general population, drawing on the transactional IM framework and contextualizing findings within both contemporary autism research and the past IM literature.

METHODS

A large representative U.S. general population sample (N = 972) completed this survey study. We combined exploratory item factor analysis and graph analysis to triangulate the dimensional structure of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and examined its correspondence with prior autism-enriched psychometric findings. We then employed hierarchical regression and elastic-net regression to identify the predictors of camouflaging, including demographic (e.g., age, gender), neurodivergence (i.e., autistic and ADHD traits), socio-motivational, and cognitive factors.

RESULTS

We found a three-factor/dimensional structure of the CAT-Q in the general population, nearly identical to that found in previous autism-enriched samples. Significant socio-motivational predictors of camouflaging included greater social comparison, greater public self-consciousness, greater internalized social stigma, and greater social anxiety. These camouflaging drivers overlap with findings in recent autistic camouflaging studies and prior IM research.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel psychometric and socio-motivational evidence demonstrates camouflaging as a shared social coping experience across the general population, including autistic people. This continuity guides a clearer understanding of camouflaging and has key implications for autism scholars, clinicians, and the broader clinical intersecting with social psychology research. Future research areas are mapped to elucidate how camouflaging/IM manifests and functions within person-environment transactions across social-identity and clinical groups.

Feeling valued: the interplay of assistive technology and identity

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of AT in identity for students with disabilities in higher education and if/how this changes over time.

METHODS

Using a longitudinal qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students with disabilities (n = 13) in higher education in Ireland on two occasions during an academic year. A trajectory approach to longitudinal analysis was employed. This involved the use of matrices and identification of a through line for the study, which connects participant change over time.

RESULTS

The through line identified was feeling valued, which was central in the negotiation of identity over time across three themes: feelings of autonomy and competence; claiming disability; and feeling like you belong as a student. AT impacted experiences across the three themes which subsequently promoted or undermined students' sense of value. Reciprocally, feeling valued influenced use and perceptions of AT. Factors specific to a higher education context were also identified which influenced meanings attached to AT over time.

CONCLUSION

Creating an environment where students feel valued is key in promoting use of and positive perceptions of AT. This should form an integral part of AT and disability policy in higher education.

Measuring the General and Specific Domains of Self-Esteem: The Short-form of the State Self-Esteem Scale

Self-esteem is a crucial human nature feature for understanding the social dimensions of individuals' self-concept. One of its characteristics is peoples' malleability to adapt to social contexts, that is, the state self-esteem (SSE). Individuals express SES in three different factors: performance; social success; and physical appearance. Along with three studies, we present evidence of validity of the Short-Form of State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES-S) that measures contextual fluctuations in individuals' self-esteem. In Study 1 (N = 300), we found that the structure of the SSES-S was organized into three correlated factors that exhibited convergent-discriminant validity with measures of trait self-esteem and human values. In Study 2 (N = 281), confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a bifactor measurement model better fit the description of the factorial structure of the SSES-S, which also showed incremental validity concerning trait self-esteem for predicting one criterion. In Study 3 (N = 160), we experimentally manipulated contextual information about self-achievement and showed that the SSES-S is sensitive enough to detect transient fluctuations in self-esteem, especially in the achievement factor. We discussed the limitations and scope of the SSES-S, as its specific focus on measuring undergraduate students' state self-esteem and its implications distinguishing the general and particular domains of this construct.

Negative Parenting Styles and Psychological Crisis in Adolescents: Testing a Moderated Mediating Model of School Connectedness and Self-Esteem

Little is known about how rejecting and controlling parenting styles may influence adolescent psychological crisis and what conditions may buffer the detrimental effects of psychological crisis. By integrating multiple theories, this study investigated self-esteem as an underlying mediator and school connectedness as a potential moderator to explain the link between negative parenting and the two psychological crises among Chinese adolescents. In this study, the questionnaire method is adopted to examine the combined mechanism of rejecting parenting style and controlling parenting style on the psychological crisis of adolescents. In total, 1863 adolescents were involved in this study, ranging from 13 to 17 years old. The results showed that both the rejecting parenting style and the controlling parenting style can significantly and positively predict the level of psychological crisis of adolescents, but the predictive power of the rejecting parenting style was stronger. Self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between rejecting parenting style, controlling parenting style, and psychological crisis. School connectedness moderates both the effects of rejecting parenting styles on self-esteem and the effects of self-esteem on the psychological crisis. This study identifies the internal mechanisms by which negative parenting styles affect adolescents' psychological crisis, and reveals the mediating and moderating roles of self-esteem and school connectedness, providing additional explanatory paths for the mechanisms of adolescents' psychological crisis.

Neural Representation of Collective Self-esteem in Resting-state Functional Connectivity and its Validation in Task-dependent Modality

INTRODUCTION

Collective self-esteem (CSE) is an important personality variable, defined as self-worth derived from membership in social groups. A study explored the neural basis of CSE using a task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm; however, task-independent neural basis of CSE remains to be explored, and whether the CSE neural basis of resting-state fMRI is consistent with that of task-based fMRI is unclear.

METHODS

We built support vector regression (SVR) models to predict CSE scores using topological metrics measured in the resting-state functional connectivity network (RSFC) as features. Then, to test the reliability of the SVR analysis, the activation pattern of the identified brain regions from SVR analysis was used as features to distinguish collective self-worth from other conditions by multivariate pattern classification in task-based fMRI dataset.

RESULTS

SVR analysis results showed that leverage centrality successfully decoded the individual differences in CSE. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate gyrus, precuneus, orbitofrontal cortex, posterior insula, postcentral gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, temporoparietal junction, and inferior frontal gyrus, which are involved in self-referential processing, affective processing, and social cognition networks, participated in this prediction. Multivariate pattern classification analysis found that the activation pattern of the identified regions from the SVR analysis successfully distinguished collective self-worth from relational self-worth, personal self-worth and semantic control.

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed CSE neural basis in the whole-brain RSFC network, and established the concordance between leverage centrality and the activation pattern (evoked during collective self-worth task) of the identified regions in terms of representing CSE.

The relationship of negative life events, trait-anxiety and depression among Chinese university students: A moderated effect of self-esteem

BACKGROUND

Negative life events are major triggers for depression. How individual physical qualities and psychological resources affect the relationship between negative life events and depression in college students remains to be studied. Therefore, we constructed a structural equation model to explore the mediating effect of trait anxiety and the moderating effect of self-esteem in the relationship between negative life events and depression among college students.

METHODS

A total of 6224 Chinese college students (aged 16-25) in Jiangxi Province in the central area of China completed the online survey. A moderated mediation model was tested to verify the hypothesis.

RESULTS

The mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of negative life events on depression through trait-anxiety. Mediation was moderated by self-esteem, which significantly interacted with negative life events to reduce their effect on both anxiety and depression.

LIMITATIONS

All measures were self-reported. The cross-sectional design only provides evidence of correlation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results in this study revealed that self-esteem as a component of psychological defense mechanism to reduce the harm of environmental threats to individuals. Low self-esteem college students are more likely to have adverse effects when experiencing low-level life events. University mental health education reduces the effects of negative life events on trait anxiety and depression of college students by raising their self-esteem levels.

Unmasking artifactual links: A reanalysis reveals No direct causal relationship between self-esteem and quality of social relations

A meta-analysis conducted by Harris and Orth (2020) found positive prospective cross-lagged effects between quality of social relations and self-esteem in included longitudinal studies. Harris and Orth concluded that the link between self-esteem and quality of social relations is reciprocal and characterized by a positive feedback loop. However, meta-analytic effects were estimated while controlling for a prior measurement of the outcome and such effects are known to be susceptible to artifactual (i.e. spurious) effects due to correlations with measurement errors and reversion to mediocrity. We reanalyzed the same data and found paradoxical effects indicating, simultaneously, both increasing and decreasing effects between self-esteem and social relations. These findings suggest that prospective effects between self-esteem and quality of social relations are artifactual rather than due to a true reciprocal effect. Thus, these findings have important theoretical implications and challenge both the risk regulation model, which posits that self-esteem has a causal effect on quality of social relations, and the sociometer theory, which claims that quality of relations is the cause and self-esteem the effect. The present results prompt further investigation into the underlying mechanisms driving these artifactual associations. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of considering methodological limitations in future meta-analyses to improve the accuracy of causal inferences.

How social media usage affects psychological and subjective well-being: testing a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

A growing body of literature demonstrates that social media usage has witnessed a rapid increase in higher education and is almost ubiquitous among young people. The underlying mechanisms as to how social media usage by university students affects their well-being are unclear. Moreover, current research has produced conflicting evidence concerning the potential effects of social media on individuals' overall well-being with some reporting negative outcomes while others revealing beneficial results.

METHODS

To address the research gap, the present research made an attempt to investigate the crucial role of social media in affecting students' psychological (PWB) and subjective well-being (SWB) by testing the mediating role of self-esteem and online social support and the moderation effect of cyberbullying. The data in the study were obtained from a sample of 1,004 college students (483 females and 521 males, Mage = 23.78, SD = 4.06) enrolled at 135 Chinese universities. AMOS 26.0 and SPSS 26.0 as well as the Process macro were utilized for analyzing data and testing the moderated mediation model.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that social media usage by university students was positively associated with their PWB and SWB through self-esteem and online social support, and cyberbullying played a moderating role in the first phase of the mediation process such that the indirect associations were weak with cyberbullying reaching high levels.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of discerning the mechanisms moderating the mediated paths linking social media usage by young adults to their PWB and SWB. The results also underline the importance of implementing measures and interventions to alleviate the detrimental impacts of cyberbullying on young adults' PWB and SWB.

Coping or Thriving? Reviewing Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Societal Factors Associated With Well-Being in Singlehood From a Within-Group Perspective

Singlehood, defined as not being in a romantic relationship, is becoming increasingly common worldwide. Despite this, research on singlehood has not received remotely equivalent research attention as romantic relationships. Well-being research that has explicitly included singles has focused on whether coupled versus single people are more satisfied with their lives. However, these between-group comparisons have not attended to within-group variability among singles that can point to when and for whom singlehood is associated with thriving. In this review, we document findings from the emerging field of singlehood studies to highlight what is and is not known about factors that are associated with the well-being of single individuals from a within-group perspective. Our review examines (a) intrapersonal factors (characteristics of the individual), (b) interpersonal experiences (qualities of one's social relationships and experiences), and (c) societal influences (features related to one's broader social or cultural context) related to well-being in singlehood. We conclude by offering future directions for the conceptualization of and research on singlehood with the goal of promoting a thorough and inclusive perspective.

Harsh parenting and suicide ideation among Chinese adolescents: the roles of self-esteem and school social support

BACKGROUND

While negative parenting style has considered as a risk factor for suicide ideation, little attention has been given to the mechanisms between harsh parenting and suicide ideation in the context of Chinese culture. This study explored the the potential mediating roles of self-esteem and the potential moderating roles of school social support in the relationship between harsh parenting and suicide ideation among Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 4189 Chinese adolescents who completed measures of harsh parenting, school social support, self-esteem, and suicide ideation. The moderated mediation model was used to test the roles of self-esteem and school social support on the association between harsh parenting and adolescent suicide ideation.

RESULTS

(1) There were significant positive correlations between harsh parenting and adolescents suicide ideation. (2) Self-esteem mediates the relationship between harsh parenting and suicide ideation in adolescents. (3) School social support moderates the indirect effect of harsh parenting on suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS

Beyond the direct impact of harsh parenting, harsh parenting also indirectly contributes to adolescent suicide ideation via the mediator of adolescents' self-esteem. School social support moderates the relationship between harsh parenting and self-esteem as well as the relationship between self-esteem and suicide ideation. The findings suggest potential pathways for suicide prevention and intervention strategies and highlighted that buffering effect of school social support is limited as risk increasing.

Hippocampus links perceived social support with self-esteem

Self-esteem is an important psychological resource with adaptive values, and numerous investigations have revealed that self-esteem is influenced by perceived social support. However, the potential neural basis linking perceived social support with self-esteem remains unclear. Therefore, we used voxel-based morphometry to explore whether the hippocampus and amygdala function as the neuroanatomical basis linking perceived social support with self-esteem in a cohort of 243 young healthy adults (128 women; mean age 22.64 years, standard deviation 1.01 years). The Social Provisions Scale and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale were used for the survey. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the gray matter volume of the hippocampus and amygdala. Correlation analysis revealed that those who perceived more social support had higher self-esteem. Notably, mediation analysis showed that hippocampal gray matter volume linked perceived social support with self-esteem. Our study suggests that the hippocampus plays a primary, but not exclusive, role in linking perceived social support with self-esteem, which provides a novel explanation for how perceived social support affects self-esteem from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience.

Self-esteem's impacts on intimacy-building: Pathways through self-disclosure and responsiveness

Building intimate relationships is rewarding but entails risking rejection. Trait self-esteem-a person's overall self-evaluation-has important implications for how people behave in socially risky situations. Integrating established models of responsiveness and intimacy with theory and research on self-esteem, we present a model that highlights the ways in which self-esteem impacts intimacy-building. A review of relevant research reveals that compared to people with high self-esteem, people with low self-esteem exhibit interpersonal perceptions and behaviors that can hinder intimacy development-for example, disclosing less openly, and eliciting and perceiving less responsiveness from others. We identify important directions for future research and consider methods for encouraging intimacy-promoting processes among people with low self-esteem.

Individual Differences in How Desirable People Think They Are as a Mate

Mate value is an important concept in mate choice research although its operationalization and understanding are limited. Here, we reviewed and evaluated previously established conceptual and methodological approaches measuring mate value and presented original research using individual differences in how people view themselves as a face-valid proxy for mate value in long- and short-term contexts. In data from 41 nations (N = 3895, Mage = 24.71, 63% women, 47% single), we tested sex, age, and relationship status effects on self-perceived mate desirability, along with individual differences in the Dark Triad traits, life history strategies, peer-based comparison of desirability, and self-reported mating success. Both sexes indicated more short-term than long-term mate desirability; however, men reported more long-term mate desirability than women, whereas women reported more short-term mate desirability than men. Further, individuals who were in a committed relationship felt more desirable than those who were not. Concerning the cross-sectional stability of mate desirability across the lifespan, in men, short- and long-term desirability rose to the age of 40 and 50, respectively, and decreased afterward. In women, short-term desirability rose to the age of 38 and decreased afterward, whereas long-term desirability remained stable over time. Our results suggest that measuring long- and short-term self-perceived mate desirability reveals predictable correlates.

Social Verification Theory: A New Way to Conceptualize Validation, Dissonance, and Belonging

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

In the present review, we propose a theory that seeks to recontextualize various existing theories as functions of people's perceptions of their consistency with those around them. This theory posits that people seek social consistency for both epistemic and relational needs and that social inconsistency is both negative and aversive, similar to the experience of cognitive dissonance. We further posit that the aversive nature of perceiving social inconsistency leads people to engage in various behaviors to mitigate or avoid these inconsistencies. When these behaviors fail, however, people experience chronic social inconsistency, which, much like chronic rejection, is associated with physical and mental health and well-being outcomes. Finally, we describe how mitigation and avoidance of social inconsistency underlie many seemingly unrelated theories, and we provide directions for how future research may expand on this theory.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

In the present review, we propose that people find inconsistency with those around them to be an unpleasant experience, as it threatens people's core need to belong. Because the threat of reduced belongingness evokes negative feelings, people are motivated to avoid inconsistency with others and to mitigate the negative feelings that are produced when it inevitably does arise. We outline several types of behaviors that can be implemented to avoid or mitigate these inconsistencies (e.g., validation, affirmation, distancing, etc.). When these behaviors cannot be implemented successfully, people experience chronic invalidation, which is associated with reduced physical and mental health and well-being outcomes. We discuss how invalidation may disproportionately affect individuals with minoritized identities. Furthermore, we discuss how belongingness could play a key role in radicalization into extremist groups.

The nature and neurobiology of fear and anxiety: State of the science and opportunities for accelerating discovery

Fear and anxiety play a central role in mammalian life, and there is considerable interest in clarifying their nature, identifying their biological underpinnings, and determining their consequences for health and disease. Here we provide a roundtable discussion on the nature and biological bases of fear- and anxiety-related states, traits, and disorders. The discussants include scientists familiar with a wide variety of populations and a broad spectrum of techniques. The goal of the roundtable was to take stock of the state of the science and provide a roadmap to the next generation of fear and anxiety research. Much of the discussion centered on the key challenges facing the field, the most fruitful avenues for future research, and emerging opportunities for accelerating discovery, with implications for scientists, funders, and other stakeholders. Understanding fear and anxiety is a matter of practical importance. Anxiety disorders are a leading burden on public health and existing treatments are far from curative, underscoring the urgency of developing a deeper understanding of the factors governing threat-related emotions.

Peer Victimization and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese Adolescents: Moderated Mediation by Forgiveness and Self-Esteem

Considerable developmental research has shown an association between peer victimization and subjective well-being among adolescents. However, the mediating processes and protective factors that constrain this association are less understood. To fill these gaps, we investigated whether self-esteem mediates the association between peer victimization and subjective well-being and whether forgiveness moderates the direct and indirect associations of peer victimization with adolescents' subjective well-being via self-esteem. A large sample of 2,758 adolescents (M_age = 13.53 years, SD = 1.06) from 10 middle schools in China participated in this study. Participants provided data on demographic variables, peer victimization, self-esteem, forgiveness, and subjective well-being by answering anonymous questionnaires. After controlling for demographic covariates, we found that self-esteem mediated the relationship between peer victimization and subjective well-being. Furthermore, as a protective factor, forgiveness moderated the relationship between peer victimization and self-esteem. Consistent with the protective-reactive model, when adolescents experienced more peer victimization, those with higher forgiveness levels exhibited a greater decline in self-esteem, and low self-esteem was then associated with decreased subjective well-being. These findings demonstrate the utility of examining both mediating and moderating factors in this relationship and highlight the negative impact of peer victimization on adolescent self-worth and the limited role of forgiveness as a protective factor.

Temporal dynamics in mental health symptoms and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal probability sample: a network analysis

Figuring out which symptoms are central for symptom escalation during the COVID-19 pandemic is important for targeting prevention and intervention. Previous studies have contributed to the understanding of the course of psychological distress during the pandemic, but less is known about key symptoms of psychological distress over time. Going beyond a pathogenetic pathway perspective, we applied the network approach to psychopathology to examine how psychological distress unfolds in a period of maximum stress (pre-pandemic to pandemic onset) and a period of repeated stress (pandemic peak to pandemic peak). We conducted secondary data analyses with the Understanding Society data (N = 17,761), a longitudinal probability study in the UK with data before (2019), at the onset of (April 2020), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (November 2020 & January 2021). Using the General Health Questionnaire and one loneliness item, we computed three temporal cross-lagged panel network models to analyze psychological distress over time. Specifically, we computed (1) a pre-COVID to first incidence peak network, (2) a first incidence peak to second incidence peak network, and (3) a second incidence peak to third incidence peak network. All networks were highly consistent over time. Loneliness and thinking of self as worthless displayed a high influence on other symptoms. Feeling depressed and not overcoming difficulties had many incoming connections, thus constituting an end-product of symptom cascades. Our findings highlight the importance of loneliness and self-worth for psychological distress during COVID-19, which may have important implications in therapy and prevention. Prevention and intervention measures are discussed, as single session interventions are available that specifically target loneliness and worthlessness to alleviate mental health problems.

Parents or Peers? (In)congruence Effect of Adolescents' Attachment to Parents and Peers on Self-Esteem

Building on the attachment theory and extending prior research that has hinted strongly at the important influence of social relationships on self-esteem, this study examined the simultaneous effect of adolescents' attachment to parents and peers on self-esteem. To test our hypotheses, we collected data from a sample of 267 adolescents. We used polynomial regression coupled with response surface analysis to assess the (in)congruence effect of adolescents' attachment to parents and peers on self-esteem. The results of polynomial regression analysis show that the congruence effect of attachment to parents and peers did not relate to adolescent self-esteem. However, self-esteem is high when attachment to both parents and peers is at a high level rather than a low level. Moreover, results show that attachment to parents is more significant than attachment to peers in developing adolescents' self-esteem. Interpretation of findings and theoretical contribution of congruence perspective to attachment theory and self-esteem literature are discussed.

Perceived stigmatization and fear of negative evaluation: Two distinct pathways to body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem in burn survivors

OBJECTIVE

Scars resulting from burn injury can pose social and psychological problems that may affect body image and self-esteem. This study aimed to investigate whether burn severity, age and female gender are associated with body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem, through an association with perceived stigmatization and fear or negative evaluation.

DESIGN & MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Burn survivors (N = 224) completed the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale (FNE) and the Perceived Stigmatization Questionnaire (PSQ) at 3 months post-burn, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSE) and the Satisfaction with Appearance scale (SWAP) at 6 months post-burn. Path analysis was used to test the relationships.

RESULTS

Body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem were moderately associated. Burn severity was directly and indirectly associated with body image dissatisfaction through perceived stigmatization. Female gender and age were indirectly associated with body image dissatisfaction though fear of negative evaluation. Age was indirectly associated with both perceived stigmatization and fear of negative evaluation. Perceived stigmatization and fear of negative evaluation were associated with self-esteem through body image dissatisfaction, the first indirectly and the latter both directly and indirectly.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight that both burn-specific factors and psychological vulnerability should be taken into account to deal with social challenges that may affect body image and self-esteem after burns.