The primary focus of the present study was to delineate the relationships among variables comprising a proposed model of depression for middle school adolescents. The investigation of the validity of a newly proposed dimension of self-concept (i.e., ethnic evaluations) for African-American versus Caucasian adolescents was also a major thrust. An additional emphasis of the present study was to examine which variables (i.e., contextual, self-concept, and global self-worth) accounted for the greatest amount of variance in predicting depression scores for African-American and Caucasian participants. Approximately 1,100 adolescents were recruited for participation. Of these, 959 participants actually participated in the study with the final sample consisting of 792 participants (males n = 389, females n = 403). Participants ranged in age from 11 = 14 years of age and were in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The ethnic make-up of participants was as follows: Native American (1%), Asian (1%), African-American (32%), Caucasian (60%), Hispanic (1%), Pacific Islander (>1%), Biracial (3%), Multiracial (1%), and other (>1%) participants. All questionnaire sessions were conducted in a group format during a pre-selected class period (i.e., Health, English, or Science classes). Participants were administered a demographic information form, the Reynold's Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS), the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA), an Ethnic Evaluations instrument, the Acculturation Scale, the Dubow Social Support Scale for Adolescents, the How I Coped Under Pressure Scale for Children (HICUPS), and the Life events scale. Results revealed that self-concept and global self-worth were significantly and inversely correlated with depression scores. In addition, a newly created measure of ethnic evaluations proved to be a concurrently valid measure of self-concept for all participants and demonstrated differing rates of significance with depression for Caucasian and African-American participants. An examination of the proposed model for African-American adolescents revealed that social support, negative life events, physical appearance, athletic competence, and inter-ethnic evaluations were most significant in predicting depression. Results of the regression analysis for Caucasian adolescents revealed social support, negative life events, social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance, and global self-worth as accounting for the greatest amount of variance. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical activity levels, physical self-worth, and its sub-domains; (a) skill, (b) body attractiveness, (c) fitness and conditioning, and (d) strength, and overall global self-worth in high school students. One-Hundred and sixty-seven students (male = 66;female = 101) from the western United States, ages 13-18, participated in this study. Each participant completed a minimum of four days of physical activity (PA) data collection and completed the self-worth questionnaire. Pedometers were used to collect PA levels, calculating mean step counts, and the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile (CY-PSPP) was used to determine physical self-worth (PSW) and global self-worth (GSW) scores. Results showed a small but positive relationship between physical self-worth and PA level (r = 0.19, p < 0.01), with no relationship shown between PA level and GSW. Physical activity level was significantly correlated with skill and body attractiveness (p < .02). Quartile analyses of mean step count confirmed a significantly higher PSW in the top three quartiles compared to the bottom quartile. In summary, this study found that PA levels is positively associated with PSW and its two sub-domains of body attractiveness and skill, but PA levels did not show a significant relationship with GSW.

Adolescents often suffer with negative feelings and low self-esteem, leading to an overall negative self-perception. Prior researchers have linked adolescent self-perception, academic performance, and learning disabilities, but more research is required. This quantitative study examined relationships between self-perception of reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics competence. In addition, global self-worth was examined through the Harter-Renick Self-Perception Profile for Learning Disabled Students (HRSPP). Student academic performance as measured by Stanford Achievement Test-10 Total Reading (SATrd) and Total Math (SATmh) scores among adolescents with learning disabilities were also examined. Student records from the Green School were gathered (n = 128), with their perceived intellectual ability, reading, writing, spelling, mathematics competence, and global self-worth (GLOSW) HRSPP subscale scores treated as predictors. Participants' chronological age and specific learning disability (SPLD) served as maturation and selection effect modifiers. SATrd and SATmh were dependent variables in a multiple regression analysis using step-wise data entry. GLOSW emerged as a significant predictor variable, ï?¢ï? = .185, t (2.12) = .036, p < .05 with SATrd as the dependent variable. Thus, the higher the GLOSW HRSSP score was, the higher the SATrd score was as well. No significant predictors of criterion variable SATmh existed. These results could elucidate ways to help students with learning disabilities enhance self-esteem, which may lead to improved academic success and overall positive social change.

It is well established in the literature that children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are more likely to be physically inactive, have unhealthy weight, and report lower perceptions of self-worth than typically developing (TD) children. Physical inactivity, overweight/obesity and low self-worth are important risk factors for many physical and psychological health conditions. The interrelationships among these factors, however, have yet to be explored in children with DCD. There is limited information on change in body composition measures and self-worth over time in children with DCD, the effect of physical activity (PA) on body composition, and whether the combined negative influence of having both DCD and obesity result in poorer conceptions of self-worth. In this dissertation, I present a series of studies that explore the connections among these factors using longitudinal, population-based data on a large cohort of children with and without poor motor coordination. The first study, presented in Chapter 2, describes the results of change in BMI and waist circumference (WC) in children with probable DCD (pDCD) and TD children over a five-year time period, and the effects of sex and PA on this relationship. Chapter 3 describes the results of the relationship between body fat, pDCD, and PA after addressing the measurement- related limitations of the study reported in Chapter 2. Chapter 4 describes the results of self-worth in children with pDCD and overweight/obesity, only pDCD, only overweight/obesity, and the control group at baseline as well as change over time. Collectively, the results show that children with pDCD have a consistently higher BMI, WC, and body fat than TD children. BMI and WC increases over time in children with pDCD; specifically boys with pDCD show a much accelerated increase in these measures. Scores of body composition measures increase with decrease in self-reported and objectively measured PA, but participation in PA does not explain why children with pDCD are more likely to have excess weight gain. Finally, children with both pDCD and overweight/obesity and children with either of these conditions alone report lower self- worth than the control group, and the change in self-worth between groups remains constant over time. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The goal of this study was to examine the contributing factors to depression in young adult males with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) and controls. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between recalled relational peer victimization, self-perceived social competence, global self-worth, and symptoms of depression in individuals with HFASD compared to normal controls. Depression is one of the most prevalent comorbid conditions in the HFASD population. Individuals with autism are also subjected to high rates of peer victimization. Given that social abilities are impaired in individuals with autism, it was hypothesized that their experiences with victimization by peers, along with their self-perceived social competence and global self-worth, would help explain levels of depression. It was expected that higher levels of peer victimization, lower levels of self-perceived social competence, and lower levels of global self-worth would explain higher levels of depression. Additionally, it was expected that self-perceived social competence would mediate the effect of peer victimization on depression, global self-worth would mediate the effect of peer victimization on depression, and global self-worth would mediate the effect of self-perceived social competence on depression. Variables were measured with self-report questionnaires. Multiple regression and bootstrapping measures of indirect effects were used to examine the presumed effects. Participants included 40 males, ages 18-26; there were 21 control participants and 19 individuals with HFASDs. Individuals with HFASD had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms, lower levels of self-perceived social competence, lower levels of global self-worth, and a trend towards higher reports of peer victimization. Multiple regression analyses determined that peer victimization, global self-worth, and self-perceived social competence significantly predicted depressive symptoms in the total sample. Also, peer victimization significantly predicted self-perceived social competence and global self-worth. Additionally, self-perceived social competence significantly predicted global self-worth. Tests of indirect effects indicated that global self-worth mediated the effect of peer victimization on depression, self-perceived competence mediated the effect of peer victimization on depression, and global self-worth mediated the effect of self-perceived competence on depression. As a follow-up, this study also examined select HFASD participants' responses about how they defined bullying, as well as their perceived experiences with victimization. / text

Many scholars are interested in the stage of adolescence. This period is marked by immense change in individual’s psychosocial, cognitive and physical development. Intensive psychophysical development suggests certain personality direction, changes in activeness and autonomy, which put adolescents into the contradictory situations, such as growing aspirations differing from reality, difficulties related with identity formation, inadequate self – value. Growing conflicts of adolescents’ and adults’ values, sense of identity, changing status in society make an individual perceive not only surrounding environment, but oneself as a part of it as well. The development of self – perception is the most intense at the stage of adolescence and it includes perception of self – concept, self – worth. Self – worth is one of the components of self – perception, reflecting individual’s view at oneself and depending upon one’s abilities, perceived competence. Adolescent, who is able to perceive oneself as being capable in many important areas, is tend to value oneself and be successful in socializing. Socialization program for children and youth (2004) states, that it is important to develop occupation of youths and improve its quality. Sport is one of the most acceptable activities for adolescents. Involvement in sport activity positively influences adolescents’ self – worth, withdraw them from various addictions, helps to integrate into society. The aim of the study was to evaluate the... [to full text]