Level of Self-Esteem and Contingencies of Self-Worth: Unique Effects on Academic, Social, and Financial Problems in College Students

Memory distrust and imagination inflation: A registered report

Imagination inflation happens when a person's subjective confidence that an event has occurred increases after they imagine it occurring. In this project, our primary aim is to test whether memory distrust is related to the imagination inflation effect in people who are aware of the discrepancies between their own memories and what they have imagined. Our secondary purpose is to investigate whether the influence of memory distrust on imagination inflation is moderated by traits that are described as disengagement from reality and to test whether memory distrust mediates the relationship between self-esteem and imagination inflation. In a three-step procedure, participants (N = 300) will assess their confidence that a list of childhood events happened to them; then, they will imagine three of these events and reassess their confidence. Half of the participants will undergo a memory distrust induction procedure. In order to sensitize participants to discrepancies, some of them will be given cues about the source and/or perspective of the imagined events.

The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem

Social anxiety is a serious psychological problem prevalent among Chinese college students, and appearance anxiety plays an important role in its development. Although some studies have explored the relationship between the two, the mediating mechanism is unclear. This study constructed a sequential mediation model based on the cognitive-behavioral theory of body image disorder and social phobia to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy and self-esteem. A total of 234 college students were recruited using the convenience sampling method, including 68 males (29.10%) and 166 females (70.90%), with an average age of 21.25 years (SD = 1.75). Data were collected using the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Interaction Anxiety Scale. The study's results demonstrated a significant and positive predictive relationship between appearance anxiety and social anxiety (effect = 0.21, SE = 0.04, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.29], p < 0.001). Appearance anxiety not only directly affects social anxiety but also has three indirect paths affecting social anxiety: the independent mediating effect of self-efficacy (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.06], p < 0.001), the independent mediating effect of self-esteem (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.07], p < 0.001), and the serial mediation effect of self-efficacy and self-esteem (effect = 0.01, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.03], p < 0.001). Direct and indirect effects accounted for 73.81% and 26.19% of the total effect, respectively. These findings provide new perspectives on the intervention with and treatment of social anxiety in college students.

Predictors of Romanian Psychology Students' Intention to Successfully Complete Their Courses-A Process-Based Psychology Theory Approach

Student retention is a frequently researched issue due to the incidence of student dropout and its significance to learning outcomes. However, there are research gaps that need to be addressed in understanding the factors influencing student dropout in the context of higher education in Romania. This cross-sectional investigation aims to fill these gaps by examining the relationships between satisfaction with the specialization, self-regulation of learning behavior, students' perceived stress, perceived acceptance from family and friends, and the intention to complete studies. The study utilizes various statistical analysis techniques, including mediation analysis and correlation analysis, to analyze the collected data. An online questionnaire was administered to non-randomized students majoring in Psychology, and a total of 144 valid and consented responses were obtained. The results reveal significant influences of satisfaction with the specialization, self-regulated learning, and students' perceived stress on the intention to successfully complete courses. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy was found to fully mediate the relationship between satisfaction with the specialization and academic adjustment. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the student dropout process in the Romanian higher education system. By identifying the factors associated with student retention, this study provides insights that can inform the development of interventions aimed at improving students' retention and overall learning outcomes.

Need for approval from others and face concerns as predictors of interpersonal conflict outcome in 29 cultural groups

The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person's handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups.

Effect of physical exercise on social adaptability of college students: Chain intermediary effect of social-emotional competency and self-esteem

Objective

To explore the relationship between physical exercise and college students' social adaptability, as well as the mediating role of social-emotional competency and self-esteem.

Methods

One thousand two hundred thirty college students were investigated by physical exercise questionnaire, social-emotional competency scale, self-esteem scale, and social adaptability scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation model test and deviation-corrected percentile Bootstrap method.

Results

(1) Physical exercise was positively correlated with social adaptability (r = 0.397, p < 0.01), and the direct path of physical exercise on social adaptability was significant (β = 0.397, t = 15.174, p < 0.01). (2) Physical exercise positively predicted social-emotional competency (β = 0.399, t = 15.235, p < 0.01) and self-esteem (β = 0.305, t = 10.570, p < 0.01). Social-emotional competency positively predicted self-esteem (β = 0.130, t = 4.507, p < 0.01) and social adaptability (β = 0.169, t = 6.104, p < 0.01). Self-esteem positively predicted social adaptability (β = 0.189, t = 6.957, p < 0.01). (3) Social-emotional competency and self-esteem play a significant mediating role between physical exercise and social adaptability. The mediating effect includes three paths: physical exercise→social-emotional competency→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.068); physical exercise→self-esteem→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.059). Physical exercise→social-emotional competency→self-esteem→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.010).

Conclusion

Physical exercise can not only directly affect social adaptability of college students, but also indirectly affect social adaptability through the independent intermediary role of social-emotional competency and self-esteem. Furthermore, physical exercise also affect social adaptability through the chain mediation of social-emotional competency and self-esteem.

The Effect of Academic Adaptability on Learning Burnout Among College Students: The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and the Moderating Effect of Self-Efficacy

Background

With the popularization of higher education, the problems of academic adaptability and learning burnout among college students have become increasingly prominent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between academic adaptability, learning burnout, self-esteem and self-efficacy of college students and their underlying mechanisms.

Methods

The study was conducted on 2110 college students using the College Student Learning Adjustment Scale, the Learning Burnout Undergraduates Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Self-Efficacy Scale to establish a mediating model of adjustment. SPSS 26.0 was used for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. Model 4 and Model 14 in the process plug-in prepared by Hayes (2017) were used for mediating effects analysis and moderating mediator analysis respectively, and the significance of the mediating effects was tested using the bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap method.

Results

(1) academic adaptability significantly and positively predicted self-esteem; (2) self-esteem significantly and negatively predicted learning burnout; (3) academic adaptability significantly and negatively predicted learning burnout; (4) self-esteem partially mediated the effect of academic adaptability on learning burnout; and (5) self-efficacy moderated the latter half of the mediation process of academic adaptability-self-esteem-learning burnout.

Conclusion

These findings are useful for college educators and related researchers to better understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between academic adaptability and learning burnout, thus providing practical and effective operational suggestions on the prevention and intervention of learning burnout in college students.

Does Low Self-Esteem Predict Anxiety Among Chinese College Students?

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal relationship between anxiety and self-esteem among college students.

Participants and methods

A total of 2473 Chinese college students were tracked, with their anxiety and self-esteem levels collected annually over the four academic years. The study employed a four-wave random intercept cross-lagged panel model to examine the prospective relationship between anxiety and self-esteem.

Results

The anxiety levels were negatively associated with self-esteem over campus life. Results of the four-wave cross-lagged panel model revealed that low self-esteem maintained having subsequent negative impacts on students' anxiety levels, while the effects became progressively stronger over the four academic years. Meanwhile, no significant prospective effects were identified of anxiety levels on self-esteem.

Conclusion

The study confirmed self-esteem as one of the leading contributors to anxiety for college students and emphasized the importance of nourishing the self-esteem of students to alleviate their anxiety issues and improve their mental health at college.

The Impact of Compassion from Others and Self-compassion on Psychological Distress, Flourishing, and Meaning in Life Among University Students

Objectives

Research shows that compassion from others and from the self may enable university students to face, overcome, and bounce back from adversity and generate a greater sense of thriving and meaning in life. However, the underlying processes are largely unknown. The present study aimed to examine the associations of compassion with psychological distress, flourishing, and meaning in life among university students and explore the mechanisms underlying these associations.

Methods

A total of 536 Hong Kong university students completed questionnaires measuring their experiences of compassion from others, self-compassion, resilience, psychological distress, flourishing, and meaning in life.

Results

Serial mediation analyses showed that compassion from others was associated positively with self-compassion, which was, in turn, linked to greater resilience and consequently lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of flourishing and meaning in life.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal the associations of compassion from others and self-compassion with the well-being and life meaning of university students. The findings highlight the importance of being open and receptive to love and kindness from others. The findings also point to the importance of developing a caring attitude toward oneself.

Disordered eating- and exercise-related behaviors and cognitions during the first year college transition

ObjectiveDuring the college transition, vulnerability to disordered eating and exercise behaviors and cognitions may increase. We studied how behaviors and cognitions change differentially over time, in the context of gender, athletic participation, and contingencies of self-worth. Participants: 229 diverse, first-year students at a competitive liberal arts college. Methods: Three-wave longitudinal study employing surveys before, during, and following the first semester, using linear mixed model analyses. Results: There were changes over time in one measure of disordered exercise-related cognitions and exercise frequency; disordered eating showed no significant changes over time. Athletic participation and basing a lower amount of self-worth on appearance were protective against subclinical disordered cognitions and behaviors; gender was not predictive. Conclusion: Health personnel should consider athletic participation and contingencies of self-worth when assessing students' risk for ED symptoms, in both genders. Early interventions may be useful, as changes were observed within the first three months of college.

Self-Worth as a Mediator and Moderator Between Teacher-Student Relationships and Student Engagement in Rural Schools

This study examined how self-worth of students mediated and moderated their perceived positive teacher-student relationships and student engagement among middle-school students from rural China. Eighth graders (N = 838) completed surveys measuring their perceived relationships with teachers, their self-worth, and engagement. Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations among all three variables, with the strongest being between teacher-student relationships and student engagement. The structural equation modeling indicated that self-worth partially mediated the effect of teacher-student relationships on student engagement; however, positive teacher-student relationships were a stronger predictor. Multigroup analyses identified self-worth as a moderator, whereby students with lower self-worth were more reliant on positive teacher-student relationships to enhance their engagement. This study provides insights into how self-worth of students and their perceived positive teacher-student relationships influence their academic engagement in disadvantaged rural areas of China.

Associations Between Maladaptive Perfectionism and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Undergraduate Medical Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout and the Moderating Role of Self-Esteem

Empirical research has shown that maladaptive perfectionism may lead to lower life satisfaction. However, the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction among medical students and the mechanism underlying this relationship still need to be further explored. The present study used a large sample of undergraduate medical students to examine the associations between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction and to explore the mechanism underlying the associations. Specifically, the present study tried to probe the mediating role of academic burnout and the moderating role of self-esteem in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction in medical students. We invited 1628 undergraduate medical students from two medical universities in Northeastern China to participate in the survey. Among the students recruited, 1377 medical students (response rate: 84.6%) completed questionnaires including the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) maladaptive perfectionism subscales, the Chinese College Student Academic Burnout Inventory (CCSABI), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and demographic information. Results show that maladaptive perfectionism was significantly negatively related to life satisfaction among medical students and academic burnout played a significant mediating role (β = -0.10, BCa 95%CI: -0.12, -0.07) in this relationship. Moderated mediation analyses reveal that the mediating effect of maladaptive perfectionism on life satisfaction via academic burnout was moderated by self-esteem. Maladaptive perfectionism exerted a stronger effect on life satisfaction via the mediating role of academic burnout for medical students with high self-esteem [β = -0.026, SE = 0.009, 95%CI = (-0.047, -0.011)] than for medical students with low self-esteem [β = -0.019, SE = 0.009, 95%CI = (-0.038, -0.001)]. Medical institutions can implement effective interventions to decrease medical students' maladaptive perfectionism levels and academic burnout levels, and increase their self-esteem levels in order to enhance their life satisfaction.

Impact of Shyness on Self-Esteem: The Mediating Effect of Self-Presentation

BACKGROUND

Although the relationship between shyness and self-esteem is well described in the psychological literature, far less is known about the potential mechanisms that underlie this association. The main goal of the current work is to verify whether self-presentation acts as a mediating variable between both constructs.

METHODS

The study was carried out among 198 adults. The Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Self-Presentation Style Questionnaire were applied.

RESULTS

A large and positive correlation coefficient was observed between the following variables: (1) self-esteem/self-promotion; (2) shyness/self-deprecation. All other variables correlated negatively: (1) shyness/self-esteem; (2) shyness/self-promotion; (3) self-esteem/self-deprecation; (4) self-promotion/self-deprecation. Moreover, both self-promotion and self-deprecation acted as mediators between life satisfaction and self-esteem.

CONCLUSION

The outcomes of the present study show a new mediating aspect for the direct relationship between shyness and self-esteem in the form of two styles of self-presentation. The results indicate that the tendency of shy people to avoid others can have a lower effect on their overall sense of self-esteem when they try to present themselves in a clearly favorable light. By contrast, shyness may have a stronger impact on their sense of self-worth when they present themselves as helpless, unsure, and incompetent.

Gender and Cultural Differences in the Relationships between Self-Esteem Contingency, Body Talk, and Body Esteem

This study analyzed the positive and negative body talk of male and female adolescents cross-culturally with an emphasis on the role of appearance-contingent and others' approval-contingent self-worth. A cross-national survey in Austria, Belgium, Spain, and South Korea among 12- to 16-year-olds (982 female and 993 male) found that (1) positive body talk was positively related and negative body talk was negatively related to body esteem; (2) appearance contingency was positively related to negative body talk; (3) appearance contingency increased positive body talk among girls (except Korean girls); and (4) contingency on other's approval increased positive body talk among boys in all four countries. Overall, gender differences were more prominent than cultural differences and positive body talk was instrumental in promoting adolescents' body esteem.

Influence of Life Satisfaction on Self-Esteem Among Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Self-Presentation

Background

A comprehensive literature review suggests that self-esteem seems to be contingent on being satisfied in various domains of life. Although there are multiple studies that have addressed the direct relationship between both variables, there is still little known about the psychological mechanisms that underlie this association. Since self-presentation is an important process in young adulthood, the main goal of the present study was to consider self-promotion and self-deprecation as potential mediators between life satisfaction and self-esteem.

Participants, Methods and Data Collection

The study included 328 young adults aged between 18 and 35. Most of them were women (74.1%). The data were collected in Poland through an anonymous self-administered battery of questionnaires on the Internet platform. The participants completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Self-Presentation Style Questionnaire.

Results

A high and positive correlation coefficient was obtained between self-esteem and life satisfaction (r = 0.73; p < 0.001). The level of self-esteem correlated positively with the style of self-promotion (r = 0.46; p < 0.001) and negatively with the style of self-deprecation (r = −0.63; p < 0.001). Similarly, life satisfaction was positively associated with self-promotion (r = 0.37; p < 0.001) and negatively with self-depreciation (r = −0.42; p < 0.001). Moreover, both self-promotion (β = 0.67; p < 0.001) and self-deprecation (β = 0.58; p < 0.001) acted as mediators between life satisfaction and self-esteem.

Conclusion

The present study increases our knowledge about the mediatory role of self-promotion and self-deprecation. An overall sense of satisfaction with one’s own life can lead to higher self-esteem when young people are aware of their strengths and talents. Likewise, lower life satisfaction can elicit less positive self-esteem when people tend to undervalue their capabilities.

Clarifying the connection between parental conditional regard and contingent self-esteem: An examination of cross-lagged relations in early adolescence

OBJECTIVE

Relations between parental conditional regard (PCR) and children's motivational and emotional functioning have been demonstrated by past research. However, most available studies relied on cross-sectional correlational data, leaving open the causal direction of these relations. In the present article, we sought to contribute to this topic and examined the longitudinal connection between PCR and adolescents' contingent self-esteem (CSE) over time.

METHOD

Hypotheses were tested in two longitudinal studies with differently gifted samples of German high school students (N = 188 and N = 202 students, respectively). Data were gathered at three time points in Study 1 and at two time points in Study 2. In both studies, adolescents answered questionnaires regarding positive and negative PCR in the academic domain as well as general CSE (and additionally academic CSE in Study 2).

RESULTS

Cross-lagged analyses revealed several significant paths from CSE to PCR, and some paths from PCR to CSE, indicating the presumed reciprocal relationship between these constructs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that children high in CSE may lead their parents to engage in PCR and that these effects may be more pronounced than vice versa. Possible reasons for these findings and their implications are discussed.

A comprehensive analysis of the psychometric properties of the contingencies of self-worth scale (CSWS)

The Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (CSWS) is a widely used personality self-report questionnaire developed for measuring the domains in which self-esteem is sustained by successes and achievements as well as threatened by obstacles and failures. Two studies (Nstudy1 = 453, Nstudy2 = 293) aimed to further refine our knowledge of its psychometric properties. Results attested that, at the first-order level, the originally hypothesized seven-factor model proved to be the best-fitting one, but the inclusion of a method factor significantly improved the fit to the data. At the second-order level, the model with two higher-order variables representing private sphere and public sphere of CSW fit better than alternative models. Finally, there was evidence that first- and second-order domains had a good degree of construct and discriminant validity. Overall, these studies provided a step forward in refining the psychometric structure of the CSWS.

"Me", "We", and Materialism: Associations between Contingent Self-Worth and Materialistic Values across Cultures

Individuals with high levels of externally contingent self-worth tend to base their self-esteem on factors such as appearance, competitive success, and others' approval. Such tendencies might also elevate people's focus on material possessions. However, cultural moderation of these associations has yet to be explored. A cross-cultural survey among Chinese and Dutch college students examined the link between externally-based contingent self-worth and materialistic values, as well as the mediating roles of need to belong and need for self-enhancement. An initial multi-group path analysis indicated a stronger link between externally contingent self-worth and materialism for Chinese students than for Dutch students. For both Chinese and Dutch students, externally contingent self-worth was positively related to materialistic values, need to belong, and need for self-enhancement. Need to belong and need for self-enhancement were positively linked with materialism, and need to belong and need for self-enhancement mediated the link between externally contingent self-worth and materialism. Though the indirect effect via self-enhancement was somewhat stronger among Chinese participants, this research demonstrates that people's externally contingent self-worth might be a factor predicting materialism across cultures, with need to belong and need for self-enhancement playing similar roles as underlying processes in different societies.

Combined Influences of Dementia Exposure and Personality on Self-Reported Memory Problems

The current study investigated whether having a first-degree relative with dementia influenced older adults' self-reported memory, if personality traits moderated these associations, and whether these associations differed by the type of item asked (ie, frequency of memory problems vs perceived memory decline). Data drawn from the Einstein Aging study included 454 older adults (Mage = 76.64, standard deviation = 4.77, 66.96% white, and 63% female). Multilevel modeling analyses showed participants who had a first-degree relative with dementia reported more frequent memory problems and were more likely to report memory decline over the past year. Among participants with a first-degree relative with dementia, higher levels of neuroticism were related to reports of more frequent memory problems at baseline, whereas higher levels of conscientiousness and lower levels of extraversion were related to reports of more frequent memory problems over time. Future research should consider personality traits and family history of dementia as potential contributors to self-reported memory problems.

Does self-esteem lead to high achievement of the science college's students? A study from the six health science colleges

Background and objective

Self-esteem refers to a degree to which a person esteem himself or herself, the summation in light of cognizant self-evaluative considerations and feeling or in short as global emotional placement of self. This study investigates the relationship between self-esteem, social factors, and academic achievement in the form of grade point average (GPA) standing for academic achievement in the health science colleges.

Methods

This study is a quantitative cross-sectional design. The study was conducted at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), and the participants were health Science Colleges' undergraduate students. The questionnaire is composed of 24 questions in 4 main sections. The self-esteem was evaluated by using a validated Rosenberg Self-Esteem 7-questions Scale used only.

Results

A total of 551 questionnaires were distributed to the students, and 507 of them responded. Out of 507 responded, 7 were excluded due to a lack of the information. 47 (9.4%) were Foundation year students, 109 (21.8%) Medical students, 44 (8.8%) Dental students, 97 (19.4%) Pharmacy students, 101 (20.2%) Nursing students and 102 (20.4%) from Applied science. The students’ overall responses demonstrated that most of the health science students agreed in a positive way of self-esteem (1.68 ± 0.31).

Conclusion

The findings from the current study contribute to the resources to better oversee projects to upgrade health sciences students' self-esteem, some short term courses (i.e. English, personality development and motivation) are requested to boost the academic career and confidence by lifting self-esteem; it indirectly helps to better academic performance. Students also need special counseling for how to deal with stress, anxiety and depression.

Contingencies of Self-Worth and Global Self-Esteem Among College Women: The Role of Masculine and Feminine Traits Endorsement

The study examined the relative importance of seven contingencies of self-worth of Polish college women's (appearance, others' approval, competition, academic competencies, family support, virtue, God's love), as well as the associations between preference for particular contingencies and global self-esteem. Additionally, the predictive role of the self-assignment of masculine and feminine traits for both contingencies of self-worth and global self-esteem was investigated. The participants were one hundred and ninety-four Polish women in emerging adulthood (aged from 19 to 26; M = 21.36; SD = 1.67). Participants provided self-reports of self-ascription of masculine and feminine traits, the contingencies of self-worth, and self-esteem. Obtained results showed that the family support contingency of self-worth was the most preferred one, followed by virtue contingent self-worth, academic competencies, competition, and appearance contingencies of self-esteem, while the less preferred contingencies were: others' approval and God's love. Appearance and others’ approval contingencies of self-worth correlated negatively with self-esteem. Masculine traits were positively linked to competition contingency of self-worth, but negatively to physical appearance self-worth contingency and others’ approval self-worth contingency, whereas feminine traits were positively correlated with both physical appearance self-worth contingency and others’ approval self-worth contingency. The findings showed the positive associations between self-ascription of traits regarded to be masculine and self-esteem, and a lack of significant associations between self-description of feminine traits and self-esteem. Structural equation modeling demonstrated predictive role of masculine traits for self-esteem when feminine traits’ self-ascription and contingencies of self-worth were controlled.

A metacognitive model of self-esteem

BACKGROUND

In the current study, we aimed to test a metacognitive model of self-esteem grounded in the Self-Regulatory Executive Function model of psychopathology.

METHOD

A convenience sample of 346 community participants were recruited and completed a battery of online questionnaires that measured self-esteem, self-criticism, self-critical rumination, metacognitions about self-critical rumination, generic metacognitions and negative affect. Initially, we tested a series of hypotheses to establish the relationships between the study variables. We then conducted a path analysis to test a metacognitive model of self-esteem, where the process of self-critical rumination and its associated metacognitive beliefs was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between affect and self-esteem.

RESULTS

Self-critical rumination and its associated negative metacognitions, levels of depression and self-criticism independently predicted self-esteem. However, the multicollinearity between rumination and metacognitions suggests that one might not exist without the other. Additionally, a path analysis revealed that the study data was a very good fit to the proposed metacognitive model of self-esteem.

CONCLUSION

The metacognitive model of self-esteem presented in this paper may be used to generate novel interventions to improve self-esteem and decrease self-critical rumination.

The Impact of Failures and Successes on Affect and Self-Esteem in Young and Older Adults

Older adults are assumed to change their affect states in reaction to positive and negative stimuli across the life span. However, little is known about the impact of success and failure events on age-related changes in affect states and, particularly, in self-esteem levels. To fill this gap in the literature, in the present study changes in affect and self-esteem in 100 young (19–30 years) and 102 older adults (65–81 years) were assessed after participants experienced success and failure in a demanding cognitive task. Overall, the success-failure manipulation induced changes on affect states and on state self-esteem, not on trait self-esteem. Regarding age differences, older and young adults were affected to the same extent by experiences of successes and failures. Theoretical considerations of the empirical findings are provided in the general discussion.

Influence of coping, self-esteem and social support on undergraduate students’ emotional distress

Purpose

Emotional distress, which includes stress, anxiety and depression, is considered a substantial mental health problem among university students because of its effects on academic achievement and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to examine levels of emotional distress, self-esteem, social support and coping methods and predicted emotional distress in undergraduate students across year levels in two semesters.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a regional university with 117 and 118 students, respectively, the majority of whom were from the Faculty of Science. Announcements posted on the university website in two semesters were used to recruit convenience samples of participants who completed a battery of four self-administered questionnaires online.

Findings

Findings showed significant differences across year levels for emotional distress total (F(2, 107)=3.90,p=0.02), and social support total (F(2, 107)=3.57,p=0.03), especially in semester 1. Almost all maladaptive coping approaches led to risk of heightened emotional distress in both semester cohorts, ranging from using self-distraction (adjusted OR=4.54) to denial (adjusted OR=32.05). Interestingly, the use of active coping and high self-esteem appeared as risk factors rather than protective factors for mental distress, adjusted ORs=11.27 and 8.46, respectively.

Originality/value

Although adaptive coping skills did not alleviate students’ mental distress, encouraging students to use adaptive coping and social support may help students face the challenges of university life.

Depressive Symptoms and Coping Strategies Among Indian University Students

Depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide, and globally more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression, despite its major health consequences, frequently goes unnoticed among university students, since their lives are often filled with symptoms normally associated with depression (e.g., loss of sleep, low energy, anxiety, and sadness). Successful adaptation to depression depends on the use of adequate coping strategies. The extent to which university students in India with high and low levels of depressive symptoms use adequate or inadequate coping strategies has not been evaluated. Based on the Center for Epidemiological Scale for Depression score, students were assigned to either the high depressive symptoms or the low depressive symptoms group. We used the Coping Response Inventory-Adult to determine the dominant coping strategies used by the two depressive symptoms groups. The high depressive symptom group resorted to more avoidant coping strategies than the low depressive symptom group, and women were more likely to use avoidant coping strategies than men.

Selbstwertprofile und ihre Korrelate im Lern- und Leistungskontext: Eine latente Profilanalyse

Zusammenfassung. Der Selbstwert ist eines der am häufigsten untersuchten Konstrukte der Psychologie. Lange verfolgte die Forschung zum Selbstwert einen variablenzentrierten Ansatz, mit dem lediglich die einzelnen Selbstwertfacetten betrachtet wurden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden erstmalig verschiedene Kombinationen von Selbstwerthöhe, -stabilität und -kontingenz untersucht und deren Korrelate im Lern- und Leistungskontext analysiert. In latenten Profilanalysen konnten in drei Online-Studien (ngesamt = 2499) neben dem Profil des „optimalen Selbstwerts“ ( Kernis, 2003 ) vier weitere Selbstwertprofile identifiziert werden. Diese Selbstwertprofile gehen mit unterschiedlichen Konsequenzen einher. So weist etwa das Profil „optimaler Selbstwert“ die günstigsten Ergebnismuster auf, was sich beispielhaft in einer häufigen Nutzung tiefenorientierter Lernstrategien niederschlägt. Insgesamt legen die Befunde nahe, dass eine mehrdimensionale Betrachtung des Selbstwerts präzisere Verhaltensvorhersagen ermöglicht. Implikationen für die weitere Forschung und Praxis werden diskutiert.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of CBT interventions based on the Fennell model of low self-esteem

Low self-esteem is a feature of several mental health disorders that has been directly treated with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of interventions for improving low self-esteem in adults by utilizing the model outlined in Fennell (1997; 1998; 1999). A literature search identified 8 studies that met the inclusion criteria of CBT-based interventions for low self-esteem using this model, 7 of which were used in a quantitative synthesis. These studies included weekly group and individual sessions and one-day workshop formats. Summary effect sizes of 1.12 and 0.34 at post-treatment were observed, with low levels of heterogeneity, for weekly sessions and one-day workshops, respectively. Comparable results were found for the reduction of depressive symptoms. Results suggest that CBT-based interventions may be efficacious for treating individuals with low self-esteem, according to changes in self-report measures; however, it is unclear whether these interventions are dissimilar to those aimed at reducing depression.

Home Is Where You Hang Your Hat: Host Town Identity, But Not Hometown Identity, Protects Against Mental Health Symptoms Associated with Financial Stress

Debt and financial insecurity are associated with stress, low self-worth, and poor health. Joining and identifying with social groups (social identification) promotes better health and higher self-esteem. Here, we examined whether identifying with one's local neighborhood protected people from developing mental health symptoms associated with financial stress. We analyzed data from a general population survey (Study 1, N = 4319) and a student mental health survey (Study 2, N = 612) conducted in the North West of England. We administered measures of financial stress, self-esteem, neighborhood identity, and mental health, and conducted moderated mediation analyses to test our predictions. Study 1 (population survey) demonstrated that stronger identification with one's local neighborhood attenuated the adverse effects of financial stress on self-esteem and subsequent mental health. Study 2 (student survey) showed that strong host town identities buffered students from mental health symptoms related to financial stress. Strong hometown identities, however, showed no buffering effect. The findings suggest that one way financial stress impacts mental health is by eroding self-esteem. Identifying with one's current place of residence appears to disrupt this pathway, while identifying with one's previous place of residence does not provide the same psychological protection.

Beyond Tit-for-Tat: Theorizing Divergent Employee Reactions to Customer Mistreatment

Customer mistreatment is a ubiquitous and pernicious form of interpersonal mistreatment leveled by customers against employees. Service workers’ reactions to customer mistreatment have been traditionally viewed as tit-for-tat reactions in which service workers respond to customers’ aggression with retaliation in kind. However, this tit-for-tat account does not capture the broad range of possible service worker responses to customer misbehavior. We build the case for self-esteem threat as an overarching framework for divergent employee reactions to customer mistreatment, and explain how service workers’ behavioral reactions and emotional labor may systematically vary according to where service workers stake their self-esteem—in performance, in others’ approval, or in status—using contingencies of self-worth theory. Other features of the self-concept are identified as boundary conditions of the process.

Exploring the relationship between appearance-contingent self-worth and self-esteem: The roles of self-objectification and appearance anxiety

Previous work has shown that both an appearance-contingent self-worth (i.e., staking one's overall self-evaluation on one's physical appearance) and self-objectification are associated with higher appearance anxiety and lower self-esteem among women. Although prior evidence separately links both appearance-contingent self-worth and self-objectification to these negative outcomes, no work has examined the mediating processes that may underlie this relationship. With the current project, we examined the relationship between appearance-contingent self-worth and self-objectification, and the degree to which this relationship is associated with higher appearance anxiety and lower overall self-esteem. We hypothesized that appearance-contingent self-worth would be positively associated with self-objectification; in turn, we expected self-objectification to be related to higher appearance anxiety, and ultimately, lower self-esteem. Across two studies, one cross-sectional (N=208) and one short-term longitudinal (N=191), we found compelling support for this hypothesis. These findings have practical and theoretical significance for both the self-objectification and contingent self-worth literatures.

Structure of Contingent Self-Esteem

Abstract. Contingent Self-Esteem (CSE) has been conceptualized in two different ways in the literature. Some theorists have emphasized that self-esteem may be generally dependent on external outcomes, while others have argued that people’s self-esteem is contingent on experiences related to specific domains (e.g., academic performance). However, relying on a particular definition of CSE may lead to different consequences for both research and practice. In this article, we sought to clarify whether contingent self-esteem represents a global, domain-specific, or hierarchically organized construct. Three large samples of German college students responded to two popular contingent self-esteem instruments and various validity measures. Findings from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses clearly favored a domain-specific model over unidimensional and hierarchical models. Moreover, hierarchical regression analyses in Study 3 indicated that participants’ depression and other important life outcomes could be better predicted by domain-specific facets than by global scores of contingent self-esteem. Compared to previous research, our findings provide a more thorough empirical and conceptual basis for favoring a domain-specific approach to contingent self-esteem. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.

A longitudinal analysis of stress among incoming college freshmen

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine changes in stress during first semester among freshmen undergraduates and (2) identify predictors of stress (coping strategies, emotional states, and quality of sleep).

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred ninety-seven freshmen students were recruited for a 10-week study during first quarter (October-December, 2015).

METHODS

Students completed weekly self-report surveys on stress, coping strategies, emotions, and quality of sleep. A generalized linear mixed model was used for analyses.

RESULTS

Stress was elevated during examinations periods. Women reported a greater stress level than men. Increased stress level was significantly associated with lower sleep quality and greater negative emotions (fear, anger). Exercise was an effective stress coping strategy, while other coping methods (Internet usage, meditation, and self-isolation) were associated with higher stress. Social media usage did not influence stress level.

CONCLUSIONS

Future stress management programs for freshmen need to consider gender differences and may focus on sleep, exercise, and decreased general Internet usage.

Selbstwertkontingenz im Studium

Zusammenfassung. Selbstwertkontingenz beschreibt die Abhängigkeit des Selbstwerts von äußeren Faktoren ( Crocker & Wolfe, 2001 ; Kernis, 2003 ). Das Ausmaß, in dem Studierende ihren Selbstwert von äußeren Faktoren wie z. B. Anerkennung durch andere, akademische Kompetenz oder Wettbewerb abhängig machen, sollte mit ihrem Lern- und Leistungsverhalten, und hierbei insbesondere mit der Nutzung bestimmter Lernstrategien, assoziiert sein. Theoretisch sind diesbezüglich sowohl Zusammenhänge der Selbstwertkontingenz mit der ressourcenbezogenen Lernstrategie Anstrengungsbereitschaft als auch mit verschiedenen weiteren Lernstrategien denkbar. Welche selbstregulierten Lernstrategien mit der Selbstwertkontingenz von Studierenden assoziiert sind und inwiefern diese die Beziehung zwischen der Selbstwertkontingenz und der resultierenden Studienleistung mediieren, wurde bislang kaum untersucht. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden daher bei N = 614 Studierenden die Zusammenhänge zwischen der Selbstwertkontingenz, verschiedenen selbstregulierten Lernstrategien sowie den später erfassten Studienleistungen analysiert. Pfadanalysen zeigten, dass die Selbstwertkontingenz mit der Anstrengungsbereitschaft sowie mit oberflächenorientierten Lernstrategien signifikant positiv zusammenhing, während sich keine signifikanten Zusammenhänge zwischen der Selbstwertkontingenz und tiefenorientierten Lernstrategien nachweisen ließen. Außerdem zeigte sich eine signifikante indirekte Beziehung zwischen der Selbstwertkontingenz und den Noten, welche durch die ressourcenbezogene Lernstrategie Anstrengungsbereitschaft mediiert wurde. Die überwiegend erwartungskonformen Ergebnisse blieben auch bei Kontrolle der Selbstwerthöhe robust und unterstreichen insgesamt die Relevanz der Selbstwertkontingenz für das Lern- und Leistungsverhalten im Studium.

I Want You to Like Me: Extraversion, Need for Approval, and Time on Facebook as Predictors of Anxiety

Although social networking sites such as Facebook have been touted as creating a global village, there may be a downside to such computer-mediated interactions on user's well-being. One such consequence is that stimuli via computer-mediated interactions may be anxiety-provoking for some users. As such, recent studies have tried to ascertain personality factors and individual differences that are associated with higher anxiety in connection with extensive Facebook use. The current study evaluated the relationships among extraversion, time on Facebook, need for approval, and anxiety among college students (N=280). Results revealed that need for approval significantly moderated the association between extraversion and anxiety. Specifically, individuals higher in extraversion tended to be less anxious, although this was less true for those extraverts who were higher in need for approval. Further, this moderating effect was stronger among extraverts who were high in need for approval and spent more time on Facebook relative to those who spent less time on Facebook. The present research contributes to the emerging literature by providing evidence regarding how personality factors interact with Facebook usage.

Contingent Self-Esteem and Race: Implications for the Black Self-Esteem Advantage

Previous research has found that despite being aware of negative stereotypes about their group and experiencing prejudice and discrimination, Blacks tend to report higher levels of self-esteem than Whites. Despite the robust nature of the Black self-esteem advantage, an adequate explanation for the higher self-esteem of Blacks relative to Whites has yet to be offered. The present studies examine whether Blacks and Whites differ in the domains on which their self-esteem is based and whether these differences mediate the relationship between race and self-esteem. The present studies found that Blacks and Whites tend to base their self-esteem on different domains and that the tendency of Whites to base their self-esteem on the approval of others provides a partial explanation for the Black self-esteem advantage. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to racial differences in self-esteem.

Attachment Styles and Contingencies of Self-Worth

Previous research on attachment theory has focused on mean differences in level of self-esteem among people with different attachment styles. The present study examines the associations between attachment styles and different bases of self-esteem, or contingencies of self-worth, among a sample of 795 college students. Results showed that attachment security was related to basing self-worth on family support. Both the preoccupied attachment style and fearful attachment style were related to basing selfworth on physical attractiveness. The dismissing attachment style was related to basing self-worth less on others’ approval, family support, and God’s love.