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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...
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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,...
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Does abortion reduce self-esteem and life satisfaction?

M A Biggs1, Ushma D Upadhyay, Julia R Steinberg

  • 1Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, antonia.biggs@ucsf.edu.

Quality of Life Research : an International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation
|April 18, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Women denied abortions initially had lower self-esteem and life satisfaction, but these measures improved over time, reaching levels similar to those who obtained abortions. This study found no evidence of short-term harm from abortion on women's well-being.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Previous research on abortion's impact on mental health is mixed.
  • Understanding the psychological effects of abortion denial is crucial for women's health.
  • Longitudinal studies are needed to track changes in well-being over time.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effects of obtaining an abortion versus being denied an abortion on self-esteem and life satisfaction.
  • To compare the psychological trajectories of women who sought and obtained abortions with those who were denied abortions.
  • To provide evidence-based information on the short-term psychological outcomes of abortion seeking and denial.

Main Methods:

  • A 5-year longitudinal telephone-interview study of 956 women across 30 US facilities.
  • Comparison of three groups: women obtaining abortions near the gestational limit, women obtaining first-trimester abortions, and women denied abortions due to exceeding the gestational limit.
  • Adjusted mixed-effects linear regression analyses to evaluate differences in self-esteem and life satisfaction trajectories.

Main Results:

  • Women denied abortions initially reported lower self-esteem and life satisfaction compared to those who obtained abortions.
  • Self-esteem and life satisfaction improved over time for most groups, including those denied abortions, reaching similar levels within 6 months to one year.
  • Women obtaining first-trimester abortions maintained steady, high levels of life satisfaction throughout the study period.

Conclusions:

  • There is no evidence that abortion harms women's self-esteem or life satisfaction in the short term.
  • Denial of abortion does not lead to long-term negative psychological consequences regarding self-esteem and life satisfaction.
  • The findings support the notion that women's mental health is not adversely affected by the abortion experience in the short term.