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Explicit and implicit self-esteem in youth with autism spectrum disorders
Renske van der Cruijsen1, Bianca E Boyer2,3
1Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|October 15, 2020
Summary
Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report lower explicit self-esteem than neurotypical peers. Low self-esteem in ASD is linked to increased depressive and externalizing symptoms, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Mental Health
Background:
- Self-esteem is crucial for mental health, with low self-esteem being a risk factor for various psychological symptoms.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with co-occurring mental health symptoms, yet self-esteem in this population is understudied.
- Understanding self-esteem profiles in ASD is essential for addressing associated challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate self-esteem levels and profiles in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To examine the relationship between different self-esteem measures (explicit and implicit) and co-occurring symptoms in youth with ASD.
- To determine the clinical implications of self-esteem for mental health outcomes in ASD.
Main Methods:
- Assessed explicit self-esteem (self-reported) and implicit self-esteem (performance-based) in youth with and without ASD.
- Collected parent-reported self-esteem data for youth with ASD.
- Analyzed correlations between self-esteem measures and symptoms of depression and externalizing behaviors.
Main Results:
- Youth with ASD reported significantly lower explicit self-esteem compared to neurotypical controls; parent reports indicated even lower self-esteem.
- No significant differences were found in implicit self-esteem between youth with and without ASD.
- Lower explicit self-esteem correlated with increased depressive symptoms, and lower implicit self-esteem correlated with externalizing behaviors in youth with ASD.
Conclusions:
- Youth with ASD are at heightened risk for low explicit self-esteem, which is associated with increased mental health challenges.
- Implicit self-esteem does not appear to differ between ASD and neurotypical groups, suggesting distinct self-esteem components are affected.
- Measuring and enhancing self-esteem in youth with ASD is critical for mitigating co-occurring problems and improving quality of life.
Keywords:
adolescentsautism spectrum disorderschildrenexplicit self-esteemimplicit association taskimplicit self-esteemMore Related Videos
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