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Related Concept Videos

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience01:18

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

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Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
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Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects01:29

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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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Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison01:27

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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...
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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-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...
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One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.  
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Pathways between self-esteem and depression in couples.

Matthew D Johnson1, Nancy L Galambos2, Christine Finn3

  • 1Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta.

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Low self-esteem predicts depression in men, and depression spreads between partners. Supportive coping can buffer these effects, highlighting the role of couple dynamics in mental health.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Self-esteem and depressive symptoms are key psychological constructs.
  • Relational developmental perspectives emphasize interpersonal influences on individual well-being.
  • Understanding the interplay between self-esteem and depression within couples is crucial for mental health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine intra- and interpersonal associations between self-esteem and depressive symptoms in couples.
  • To investigate the longitudinal relationships over a 6-year period.
  • To test supportive dyadic coping as a mediator in these pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 1,407 couples surveyed annually for 6 years (Panel Analysis of Intimate Relations and Family Dynamics - pairfam study).
  • Employed autoregressive cross-lagged models to analyze longitudinal associations.
  • Assessed self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and supportive dyadic coping.

Main Results:

  • Male partners' self-esteem predicted their future depressive symptoms (vulnerability model).
  • Depressive symptoms showed a cross-partner association: one partner's depression predicted the other's.
  • Supportive dyadic coping mediated pathways between self-esteem and depression for both male and female partners.

Conclusions:

  • Couple relationships significantly influence the developmental trajectories of self-esteem and depressive symptoms.
  • Interventions targeting supportive dyadic coping may mitigate depression within couples.
  • Findings underscore the importance of considering relational dynamics in mental health research and practice.