The Psychometric Measurement of the Self-Esteem

Scientific abstract

This dissertation paper is comprised of: (a) An analytical and critical approach to the following concepts specific to the psychology of the personality: Self-Esteem Level (SEL), Self-Esteem Stability (SES), Self-Confidence (SC), respect, Self-Respect (SR), ego, narcissism, Frame Of Reference (FOR), ego strength, pride, character, risk-taking, thinking scenario (TS), motivation direction – in the purpose of structuring and differentiating between them – and (b) A research conducted using a psychometric quantitative, multidimensional questionnaire, a qualitative inquiry, and graphological analysis.

The concepts used in this work come from six areas: Psychology of personality (either for the individual, educational or organizational use), psychotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), graphological analysis, transactional analysis (specifically the dramatic triangle comprised within the Karpmann formula) and coaching.

The fields in which this research has implications or may provide potential insight are Psychology of personality, organizational psychology, NLP, graphological analysis, methodological research design, life coaching, transactional analysis, and psychotherapy.

The main findings of this dissertation, argued by both the meta-analysis and research sections:

• Self-Esteem (SE) has two different, separate, independent components which produce other effects: Self-Esteem Level and Self-Esteem Stability. Although neither the previous nor the current research clearly establishes a definite structure for any of these, the dissertation study correlates in findings at earlier approaches and argues, based on data, the differences proposed as a hypothesis;
• Self-Esteem is a complex, heterogenous psychological meta-type comprised of several concepts that cannot be simply explained by two or three dimensions that are easy to describe. It is a meta type, not a metaprogram (MP);
• Self-Respect and Self-Esteem are categorically separate, individual, and independent concepts;
• Self-Esteem differs from Self-Confidence, although it is not clear whether Self-Confidence is a part of Self-Esteem (as some sources and own research data seem to indicate) or it is an independent standing concept in the manner Self-Respect is to Self-Esteem;
• Narcissism and ego are not dimensions underlining high Self-Esteem; they are individually different concepts that correlate with low Self-Esteem or unstable Self-Esteem. May they manifest as complexes of superiority or as complexes of inferiority;
• Self-Esteem is a concept somewhat different from ego strength and character;
• Substantial, fundamental components of Self-Esteem Level are TS and the degree of goal management;
• Self-Esteem Level and Self-Esteem Stability can be measured graphologically;
• Self-Respect is a concept related to respect in connection with others. It is not clear yet, from the data available, either from previous or current research, which are the definitive characteristics of the concepts, and relations, but based on concept investigating and on data provided by recent research, one cannot study self-respect without measuring the relationships each individual has with others;
• A fundamental behavioral aspect of Self-Esteem is the response to external stimuli, such as challenge, failure, conflict, distress, and violence, either verbally or physically, including especially bullying;
• Assertiveness plays a significant role in correlation with either Self-Esteem Stability or Self-Respect (at the moment, unclear, because obtained data does not correlate with theory and previous research in this aspect);
• The qualitative and quantitative research offers similar findings. The external validity of this study is not solid but acceptable;
• There are conceptual and research findings that support clear directions for future research.

The questionnaire development started in 2007. The practical research wwas applied in 2009-2010 in a population of pupils in the 12^th grade in Bucharest high schools (N=123), aged 17-19, considering the construction of a psychometric scientifically valid instrument for measuring Self-Esteem, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. While the quantitative part has been structured starting from the work of psychotherapists, not researchers, the results have proven consistent with similar data findings among previous works.

Critical Concepts in this dissertation: acceptance, aggression, assertiveness, away from, challenge-response, character, coaching, communication, competence, conditional, unconditional, depression, development, dignity,distress, dramatic triangle, ego strength, ego, emotional self-control, external, failure, fame, feedback, frame of reference, future, goal, graphology, gratitude, happiness, health, high self-esteem, high self-respect,independence, inferiority complex, ingratitude, internal, low self-respect,low, self-esteem,metaprogram, meta type, mistake, motivation direction, narcissism, neuro-linguistic programming, NLP, optimism, persecutor, persistence, personal branding, pessimism, portrait, pride, psychotherapy, reaction to uncertainty, respect, risk-taking, saviour, self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-esteem level, self-esteem stability, self-esteem, self-knowledge, self-respect, sense of orientation, sensitiveness, stable, superiority complex, support, teens, thinking scenario, towards, trust, type, unstable, vainglory,victim, virtue, wishful thinking.

Marcus Victor Grant

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