Does personal future outlook cause self-esteem?
Melges et al. (1971) presented evidence that a client's sense of self-worth is highly correlated with his degree of optimism about his personal future. In the present study, the cross-lagged panel correlation (CLPC) technique was used to test their hypothesis that changes in personal future outlook lead to changes in self-esteem. Ninety-four outpatients in the private psychiatric practice of the senior author filled out the Decision-Making Evaluation Instrument used by Melges et al. to assess these two constructs as well as decision-making and outcome. Results did not support their implication that personal future outlook is causally predominant over self-esteem, nor did the results support their assumption that they were measuring a distinct construct of self-esteem.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012649:Self Concept