Analysis of College Students` Self Esteem: Overview

Self esteem refers to the amount of realistic respect that you have for yourself. It is important for a person to have a healthy self-esteem in order to lead a happy and successful life. People with low self-esteems often have a harder time leading a happy and successful life. People with a healthy self-esteem realize that they deserve the good things in their lives, while those who suffer from low self-esteem feel that they deserve only the bad things in live. Each person is responsible for their own self-esteem and can take measures to improve their self-esteem, thereby improving their lives.

Background of the Study

The relationship between a student’s scholastic performance and achievement and his/her sense of personal worth or self-esteem is likely to be mediated by a number of factors such as personal and familial aspirations, peer accomplishments and teachers and school expectations. Self-esteem can be defined as an individual’s judgment of his or her self-worth (Rosenberg 1965). Self-esteem is generally considered the evaluative component of the self-concept, a broader representation of the self that include cognitive and behavioral aspects as well as evaluative or affective ones. (Tomaka&Blascovich, 1991). Self esteem is an extremely popular construct within psychology, and has been related to virtually every other psychological concept or domain, including personality (e.g., shyness), behavioral (e.g., task performance), cognitive (e.g., attribution bias), and clinical concepts (e.g., anxiety & depression). Environment of acceptance and success raises self-esteem, while environment of failures lower it.

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Coopersmith (1967) cited evidence supporting the importance of self-esteem. He concluded that people with feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness see themselves as inferior and unable to generate inner resources to improve their situation. Feeling of inferiority may result if it does not meet personal aspirations. In his antecedents of self, he suggested four factors that contribute to the development of self- esteem. These are: the values that the child perceives to have towards the self, the child’s experience withsuccess and his individual definitions of success or failure as well as the child’s style of dealing with negative feedback or criticism.

To understand a man psychologically, one must understand the nature and degree of one’s self-esteem, and the standards that one judges oneself. Self-esteem is confidence in one’s capacity to achieve values (Branden, 1970) People with high self-esteem take risks more easily than those with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem has many different manifestations; withdrawal, depression, and lack of self- confidence are all symptoms of low self-esteem. As the first emphasis of this study, self-esteem has shown to be a significant personality variable in determining human behavior.

Objectives of the Study

The objective that guided this study sought to analyze the personal strengths of the participants, to elevate their self- esteem and create positive self image. Aims to increase self confidence and self awareness to enable positive decision making and to form constructive relationships. To empower young people especially the college students to advocate on their own and on other’s behalf. To maintain a stable and positive sense of oneself.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to help the following;
Students. This research study will help students especially those who was not able to cope and handle social problems and to learn how to deal with it. Teachers. This will serve as the basis for future plans of teachers with regard to the necessary actions for the recovery of the deteriorating self- esteem of the students. Parents. This study will enrich their knowledge about self-esteem and can help to boost their child self confidence. Researchers. This study, particularly, its results will be of great help, for it will supplement and compliment needed ideas of the researchers.

Statement of the Problem

1. How do self esteem associated with depression, anxiety, motivation and satisfaction to the participants?
2. What are the factors that causes an individual to lack self confidence?
3. How do the participants improve their self esteem?

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The main focus of the study is based on the main problems in the facilities of the Cavite State University-Indang, Campus. It focuses based on knowing college students’ self-esteem and how they want to see themselves during the academic year 2012-2013. The population of frame of this study was the 1st year BS Psychology students from in the Cavite State University-Indang, Campus.

Assumptions of the Study

The researchers assume that the participants will answer the given questions accurately. Their personal identity will remain confidential so that the participants who may withdraw from the study at anytime with no ramifications. In addition to, the respondents will rate some situation truthfully.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Local Literature

Contingencies Of Filipino Adolescent Self-Esteem And The Possible Effect Of Direction Of Social Comparison by Eric L. Dimar This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative approach in order to understand Filipino adolescent self-esteem more, particularly to determine on what contingencies do adolescents base their self-esteem. It also examined direction of social comparison to determine if this is related to their level of self-esteem. Gender differences were also investigated.

High school student (N=287) from a private, co-educational institution in Quezon City were administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE) Scale, a supplemental version of the Contingencies of Self-Worth (CSW) Scale, and a research-made Direction of Social Comparison Tendency (DSCT) Scale. Chi-square and t-tests were utilized to reveal possible relationships among the different variables. Focus groups were organized to investigate further other possible factors affecting adolescents self-esteem.

Results revealed that students with low self-esteem compared to those with high self-esteem tend to compare themselves more to others who are better or to those who have more. They also tend to see themselves in areas that they are not positively endowed with. In general adolescents base their self-esteem on internal factors, namely on their belief that they are loved by God and by their adherence to a moral code. No gender differences was found between males and females’ direction of social comparison. Females were found to be more affected than males regarding academic performance, family relationships, and relationship with God.

Children need self-esteem by Sofia Logarta (Cebu Daily News) In adulthood, people suffering from low self-esteem often hold themselves back from great opportunities because the feel they do not feel ‘good enough’”. She also called attention to findings of the research of the University of Calgary “that verbal abuse often has more psychological impact and subsequent psychological damage than physical abuse.” She laments the lack of awareness on the part of parents regarding the act of verbal abuse and its impact on children. “Their criticism is not helping shape the child into a productive vibrant individual, but rather a shell of a person who is very insecure, very afraid of life, and afraid of doing something wrong. Sometimes they are not even sure what that wrong would be because they are criticized for everything they do anyhow.”

Foreign Literation

According to Alfie Kohn (The Truth About Self-Esteem), the schools should try to help students feel good about themselves. This topic has become sufficiently polarized that the vast majority of people who address themselves to it stand in one or two camps: the pro self esteem, mostly educators, who can scarcely believe that anyone would question the importance of trying to improve students perceptions of their own worth, and the critics, who dismiss such efforts as ineffective and nonsensical distractions from academics. This analysis lead him to discuss of what might be more constructive than the usual arguments for and against self esteem. He said that there is no getting around the fact that most educators whose speak earnestly about the need to boost students’ self esteem are unfamiliar with the research that has been conducted on this question at best, they may vaguely assert, he confess he used to do that “studies” suggest self esteem is terribly important.

Taking Charge of Your Self-Image by CB Staff

When you're feeling inadequate as a college student, keep these five factors in mind: 1. You're not the only one who makes mistakes. You can react to failure in two ways: Drag yourself into the recesses of self-pity, or acknowledge your mistakes and do your best to correct them. 2. Take time to do things you enjoy and excel at. If you don't have a hobby, get one. Jamaica's hobby of volunteering allowed her to put life into perspective. "It made me realize that some people are worse off than I am," she says. 3. Set small goals. If you have trouble speaking in class, say hello to someone you don't know. After a couple of weeks, volunteer to speak in class. Pick a time when you're certain you can add insight to the discussion. Later on, get a little gutsier and say something controversial.

4. Every semester, pick a class that interests you, as opposed to one that fills a degree requirement. Evenbeck points out that getting excited by coursework is vital to success, which will naturally improve self-esteem. "The old 'sit down, shut up, and memorize this' approach that some students perceive to be the message of educators is disastrous for student learning," he says. 5. Visit student tutors and mentors, even if you don't think you need to. Tutoring services often have a negative stigma attached to them -- college students may think visiting a tutor means they're not smart enough to learn on their own. But the main job of a student tutor or mentor is to offer advice in areas where he or she struggled at one time. Evenbeck says tutors and mentors are vital to the learning process. "Students often arrive without the habits that are required for successful university study. Other students are often in the best [position] to communicate those behaviors to new students," he says.

Developing those habits will lead to greater success and a better self-image. Tending to your sanity and developing a healthy self-image is just as important as anything you learn in a textbook. And maintaining a positive outlook will help keep you out of the doldrums and allow you to concentrate on learning and growing as a person. Jamaica says she learned to lean on people close to her to help get her through: "It's important to surround yourself with supportive people, like friends and family."

Methology

Research Design

This study used the survey research design. The design was ideal because it facilitated collection of data from a large number of respondents through a self administered questionnaire. The descriptive method was employed since it is interested to find out the extent to which the variables are related to each other. Specifically, the study dealt with self esteem of the students in CVSU. Research Instruments

Partially structured and open ended questionnaire was developed to collect data on the variables identified for the study. Since self-esteem concept is abstract, affective questions were used to bring out an individual self-esteem concept. These questions aimed at eliciting emotions on how students felt toward themselves.

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