Self-Esteem

Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965)

Development Young children: high self esteem due to unrealistically positive self views  Older children: declining self esteem due to external feedback  Adolescence: declining self esteem due to abstract thinking about body image & future Adulthood: increasing self esteem due to increased position of power & status; peak late 60s  Old Age: decline in self esteem due to changing roles, relationships & physical functioning; decline in narcissism & feel modest, humble, & balanced; Erikson’s ego integrity vs. despair Slide by Vanessa Gonzalez. Source: Robins, R. W., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2005). Self-Esteem Development Across the Lifespan. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3),

Gender  Males and females follow same trajectory  Males have higher self esteem than girls in adolescence due to body image and other issues, but then converge in old age Slide by Vanessa Gonzalez. Source: Robins, R. W., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2005). Self- Esteem Development Across the Lifespan. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3),

Stability  Self esteem is stable and trait-like not state-like  Low stability during early childhood, midlife, and old age, high stability during adolescence and early adulthood Slide by Vanessa Gonzalez. Source: Robins, R. W., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2005). Self- Esteem Development Across the Lifespan. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3),

Self-Esteem and Externalizing Problems Low self-esteem is significantly related to externalizing problems such as aggression –this relationship is shown across self-reports, parent and teacher ratings, with people of different nationalities. –The relationship between low self-esteem and aggression is independent of narcissism. Narcissism acts as a suppressor which increases the negative relationship between self-esteem and antisocial behavior. Self-esteem acts as a suppressor which increases the positive relationship between narcissism and antisocial behavior. Slide by Lisa Ibanez. Source: Donnellan, M. B., Trzesniewski, K. H., Robins, R. W., Moffitt, T. E., & Caspi, A. (2005). Low Self-Esteem Is Related to Aggression, Antisocial Behavior, and Delinquency. Psychological Science, 16(4),

Low self-esteem  Delinquency

Low self-esteem  Externalizing New Zealand model (N=830)

Low self-esteem  Externalizing (age 11  13)

Reading Achievement and Antisocial Behavior Association between reading achievement and antisocial behavior –investigated using the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative birth cohort of 5- and 7-year-olds Association resulted from environmental factors common to both reading and antisocial behavior and was stronger in boys –Environmental factors also explained the relation between reading disability and conduct disorder –Leading candidate environmental risk factors weakly mediated the association For boys the best explanation was a reciprocal causation model: poor reading led to antisocial behavior, and vice versa –In contrast, the relation between reading achievement and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was best explained by common genetic influences Trzesniewski, K. H., Moffitt, T. E., Caspi, A., Taylor, A., & Maughan, B. (2006). Revisiting the Association Between Reading Achievement and Antisocial Behavior: New Evidence of an Environmental Explanation From a Twin Study. Child Development, 77(1),