Thesis (S.T.M.)--Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-142).

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-72). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11891

This study analyzes the impact of self-esteem (high vs. low), situational characterization ("negotiate" vs. "ask"), and gender (men vs. women) on the likelihood an individual initiates negotiation (n = 140). Self-esteem was primed with a prompt and the participants were told they could either "negotiate" or "ask" for more money after completing two tasks. A main effect of situational characterization was found such that negotiation was more likely in the "negotiate" condition than in the "ask" condition. Neither self-esteem nor gender produced significant results. A significant interaction showed that men were more likely to negotiate in the "ask" condition, but there were no gender differences in the "negotiate" condition. Finally, gender differences in anticipated future earnings were found. Men held considerably higher expectations for average salary 5 years after graduating from college than women. These results have important implications for training students to negotiate for the salaries they deserve and moving closer to closing the gender wage gap.

Självkänsla handlar om individens tankar kring sitt eget värde, samt individens attityd gentemot sig själv. Etnisk bakgrund operationaliseras som föräldrarnas och studentens födelseland, samt ålder vid flytt till Sverige. Etnisk bakgrund och kön är två faktorer som tidigare har visats ha en koppling till grad av självkänsla, vilket denna studie undersökte vidare. Syftet med studien var att undersöka självkänsla hos högskolestudenter och eventuell skillnad gällande kön eller etnisk bakgrund. Deltagare var 197 högskolestudenter, varav 67 män, från en högskola i Mellansverige. En enkät användes med frågor gällande självkänsla och etnisk bakgrund. Självkänsla mättes med Rosenbergs självkänslaskala. Resultaten visade en skillnad i självkänsla gällande kön där män, liksom tidigare forskning, hade högre självkänsla än kvinnor, dock fanns ingen skillnad gällande etnisk bakgrund. Att etnisk bakgrund inte hade en koppling till självkänsla kan ses som ett positivt utfall, då det finns andra faktorer som individen själv i större mån kan påverka gällande självkänsla, som till exempel val av utbildning.

The purpose of this study was to examine potential relationships between African-centered cultural factors and psychological outcomes in adults who are of African descent. Current literature was reviewed in order to provide an understanding of the development and conceptualization of African-centered theories of worldview and acculturation as cultural constructs. Four hypotheses were tested, 1a) greater African-centered worldview is expected to be associated with higher self-esteem, and 1b) lower psychological distress, 2a) relationships between African-centered worldview and self-esteem, and 2b) African-centered worldview and psychological distress would be moderated by acculturative strategy. Survey packets containing the Worldview Analysis Scale (Obasi et al., 2009), the Measurement of Acculturation Strategies for People of African Descent scale (Obasi & Leong, 2010), the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45; Lambert et al., 2004) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE; Rosenberg, 1965), were given to 99 participants in a community sample of people of African descent. Two hierarchal regressions were used to calculate the associations. Significant relationships were found between African-centered worldview and self-esteem, as well as African-centered worldview and psychological distress. Insufficient statistical power may have contributed to the inability to identify a moderator effect for acculturation strategy. Results were discussed in relation to building strength based cultural approaches to psychological theory, research, and practice.

The effect of exercise programmes on psychosocial characteristics, namely self-esteem, of people with visual impairment (VI) is limited. Martial arts practice has been found to improve global self-esteem among different age groups and among people with different abilities, but not for people with VI. This presents a notable gap in the research literature on people with VI. This thesis conducted three studies with the aim of investigating whether martial arts practice improves self-esteem in people with VI, including martial arts mechanisms and strategies for self-esteem improvement. Study one (n = 5) investigated the effect of a martial arts (karate) 10-week programme on the exercise and self-esteem model components (EXSEM) in young adults with VI (age range 19-40 years) following a non-concurrent multiple baseline approach. Visual inspection and graphical approach analysis showed that four participants improved their global self-esteem. Physical self-worth improved for all five participants. Exercise self-efficacy was improved in three participants whereas the other two had high exercise self-efficacy before participation in the karate programme. Exercise self-efficacy and physical self-worth maintained higher scores than the baseline for all five participants for 3 months upon completing the programme. The 3-month follow up results of global self-esteem were lower than the baseline scores for two participants whereas the other three participants achieved higher global self-esteem scores than the baseline scores. Study 2 (n = 12) aimed to identify the mechanisms for self-esteem improvement from the perspective of martial artists with VI following a narrative approach. Results identified two main factors that contributed in the improvement of self-esteem found in this group. Firstly, social self-esteem impacted global self-esteem as instructors unconditionally accepted the martial artists with VI, motivated them and created relationships based on trust. In addition, participants reported that team work in the dojo, trustful relationships among martial arts peers, and feeling respected impacted their social self-esteem. The resultant was improved global self-esteem of the martial artists with VI. The second factor identified showed that global self-esteem improvement was related to intellectual self-esteem, as the martial artists increased their self-achievement awareness and body and spatial awareness and thus helped martial artists in achieving their maximal potential. Study 3 (n = 6) aimed to provide strategies that martial arts instructors utilize to improve self-esteem of their students with VI using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). Participants reported that the first step for global self-esteem improvement of martial artist with VI was social inclusion which needed to be rooted in a personal perception about the abilities of individuals with VI. Most of the strategies that were utilized by the instructors were focused either on social relationships, for example peer tutoring, or martial arts philosophy such as teaching real situations. Furthermore, instructors reported that improvement of the other cognitive and psychological characteristics, namely body awareness and self-confidence improvement, positively affected global self-esteem of individuals with VI. Supporting the multidimensional hierarchical construct of self-esteem, this thesis reports a positive influence of martial arts styles on social self-esteem, physical self-worth, intellectual self-esteem, and consequently global self-esteem in people with VI. Therefore, it is recommended that instructors focus on these three domains to improve global self-esteem of people with VI.

The purpose of this study was to examine within group thoughts and feelings among African American college students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and historically White colleges and universities (HWCUs). Hypotheses were tested, 1) internalized stereotypes will be endorsed by more students at HWCUs than at HBCUs, 2) degree of Black Identity would be related to endorsement of internalized stereotypes, 3) students at HBCUs would endorse a higher perception of racial discrimination than those who attend HWCUs, and 4) an exploratory hypothesis examined if students who attend HBCUs have higher self-esteem than those who attend HWCUs. Online questionnaires containing demographic questions, the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers et al., 1998), the Nadanalization Scale (Taylor & Grundy, 1996), Vignettes of Race Perceptions (Outten et al., 2010), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1979) were given to 114 college students who self-identified as African American. Univariate analysis of variance, linear regressions, and an independent t-test were use to calculate the associations. Results were discussed in relation to theory and research that purports differences between African American students on school type. Findings indicated that counter to the first research hypothesis, stereotypes of genetic inheritance (SGI) were endorsed by more students at HBCUs than at HWCUs. As hypothesized, degree of Black Identity as defined by private regard was negatively related to stereotypes of mental ability (SMA). Supplemental findings were also discussed regarding relationships between demographic predictor and outcome variables. This study demonstrates that empirically validated individualized theories concerning the indices of Black Identity and internalized stereotypes may provide a better understanding of their formation among African American college students.

Self-esteem and internalizing symptoms have been found to be of great consequence throughout the lifespan, but behavioral genetic research exploring these variables in young children is lacking. Minimal research has explored the heritability of internalizing difficulties or self-esteem within preschool-aged children, and no studies have done so while also considering parenting behaviors. Thus, the present study investigated the heritability of self-esteem and internalizing symptoms and examined the relations between self-esteem, internalizing symptoms, and parenting behaviors within preschool-aged twins. Data were collected from 61 twin pairs at the ages of 4 and 5. Parenting behavior data were obtained from parent-child interactions that took place in a lab setting when the twins were 4 years old. At age 5, twins were administered a self-report measure of self-esteem and parents completed a measure of internalizing symptoms. Results indicated that internalizing symptoms were significantly heritable but self-esteem was not, although there was some support for the presence of budding genetic influences for self-esteem. Self-esteem and internalizing symptoms were significantly positively related within one sub-sample of twins and were not significantly correlated within the replication sub-sample. Interestingly, self-esteem and internalizing symptoms were not significant predictors of each other above and beyond genetic influences. Parenting behavior was not significantly related to either self-esteem or internalizing symptoms. Results showed that children who over-rated their peer-related competence tended to have more internalizing symptoms than those who under-rated or realistically rated themselves in this domain. Findings demonstrate that genes are important to consider when investigating internalizing symptoms and self-esteem in this age group. Also, although little support was found for the importance of self-esteem accuracy in children's internalizing symptoms, more research is necessary to understand it.

No description available.

This exploratory-descriptive study, using multiple case studies, investigated the self-esteem, coping and psychology of infertility of a sample of individuals who have received infertility treatment at a privately managed health care unit. Infertility is a complex condition associated with the inability to conceive a child, frequently manifesting itself as a result of various biological factors. A literature review indicated that being on Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment significantly increases the stress in an individual. In an attempt to gain insight into the way patients undergoing infertility treatment find the strength to complete their treatment cycles, and to endure and overcome the pressures associated therewith, in order to continue their lives – in spite of a negative treatment/pregnancy result, the researcher found it necessary to investigate the self-esteem, coping and the psychology of patients undergoing infertility treatment. An exploratory descriptive research design was used and the participants were chosen by means of a non-probability purposive sampling procedure. The participants were given a package of questionnaires to complete under the supervision of the group facilitator and researcher, prior to, as well as after the intervention. The assessment consisted of a biographical questionnaire and two standardised paper and pencil measures. The participants’ self-esteem was explored using James Battle’s (1981) Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory; while the coping resources were explored using Hammer and Marting’s (1988) Coping Resource Inventory (CRI). Although these data were not analysable, due to the small sample size, it was utilised in a qualitative manner to support the findings from the qualitative data. The data were also gathered from the participants via a psychological intervention programme in the format of three focus group sessions. All the qualitative results were analysed, according to Tesch’s model of content analysis. The general finding was that the period of infertility treatment is experienced as both difficult and challenging by individuals, and that there is immense healing in the sharing of one’s narrative with other infertility patients. It also surfaced that selfesteem, especially one’s feelings of worth, is most affected by a diagnosis of infertility, as well as by going through the roller coaster of the emotions associated with the treatment and monthly cycle of infertility. It was evident from the narratives told by the participants that every domain of one’s self-esteem is affected by a diagnosis of infertility, and that the biggest challenge in maintaining a positive selfesteem seemed to be in finding a balance between one’s real self and one’s ideal self. Furthermore, this study found that the challenge related to coping for the participants in this study was to present a coherent life narrative to the ‘world’, despite intense feelings of being misunderstood by others, and being faced with the discourse of infertility, as part of one’s life script. The main coping responses utilized by participants included the re-channelling of one’s focus, using denial, seeking out familial and social support, bargaining with God, and nurturing hope and faith that this journey of infertility is merely just a journey and not a destination, with the destination that of being blessed with a biological child of one’s own.