Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison

Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem, a core aspect of psychological well-being, reflects an individual's positive and negative self-evaluation in terms of worth, competence, and overall value. It is both a stable trait and a dynamic process, influenced by experiences and social interactions across the lifespan. While global self-esteem offers a general assessment, research highlights that self-esteem is multidimensional and varies across specific life domains.Domain-Specific Self-EsteemResearchers have delineated...

Benefits of Self-Esteem

Benefits of Self-Esteem

Self-esteem—an individual's overall evaluation of their worth—plays a complex role in psychological functioning and well-being. It is often associated with many positive traits, such as confidence, optimism, and perseverance. Individuals with high self-esteem typically experience better sleep, manage peer pressure more effectively, and report greater life satisfaction. Conversely, low self-esteem has been consistently linked with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and poor academic or...

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...

Need for Self-Esteem

Need for Self-Esteem

The human need for self-esteem has long intrigued psychologists, leading to the development of several theories that explore its evolutionary and functional significance. Among the most influential are the sociometer, hierometer, and terror management theories. Each offers a unique perspective on why people strive for self-worth and how it shapes behavior and social interaction.Sociometer TheoryAccording to sociometer theory, self-esteem functions as an internal gauge of social acceptance. It...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

'Are we doing it right?' - insights from a Norwegian multicentre study on antipsychotic management of psychotic disorders.

Nordic journal of psychiatry·2026

Same author

Sustainment of Four Evidence-Based Treatments for Patients with Psychosis: A Prospective Cohort Study in Norway.

Administration and policy in mental health·2026

Same author

A secondary exploratory study of associations between patient- and clinician-reported clinical outcomes and fidelity for four evidence-based psychosis treatments.

BMC psychiatry·2025

Same author

Patient characteristics associated with the provision of nutritional support to older hospitalised patients at risk of malnutrition: A cohort study.

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)·2025

Same author

Quality of discharge letters concerning readmissions to mental healthcare: case-control study.

BJPsych open·2025

Same author

Conveying the need for mental healthcare - a qualitative study of how patients communicate mental health challenges.

BMC health services research·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Self-esteem and interpersonal functioning in psychiatric outpatients.

Jofrid Bjørkvik¹, Eva Biringer, Ole-Johan Eikeland

¹Division of Psychiatry, Stord Hospital, Stord, Norway. jofrid.bjorkvik@helse-fonna.no

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology

|March 21, 2009

Summary

Lower self-esteem in psychiatric patients correlates with more interpersonal problems, particularly frustrated agency. Psychotherapy should focus on fostering patient agency and balancing agency with communion for improved outcomes.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Area of Science:

Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry

Background:

Self-esteem significantly impacts interpersonal functioning.
Understanding these associations is crucial for effective psychiatric treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the relationship between self-esteem and interpersonal functioning in psychiatric outpatients.
To identify specific interpersonal problem areas linked to low self-esteem.

Main Methods:

A one-year clinic cohort of 338 psychiatric outpatients was studied.
Self-esteem, interpersonal problems, interpersonal style, and distress were measured via questionnaires.
Interpersonal behavior was assessed using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C) along agency and communion dimensions.

Main Results:

Lower self-esteem was associated with higher general interpersonal problems.
Low self-esteem was primarily linked to frustrated agentic motives (IIP-C).
An interaction between agency and communion affected self-esteem, suggesting a need for balance.

Conclusions:

Fostering patient agency is a key goal for psychotherapy.
Balancing agency and communion dimensions is important for self-esteem.
Further research is needed on the interpretation of IIP-C subscales.