The interpersonal consequences of inflated self-esteem in an inpatient psychiatric youth sample.
This study tested R. F. Baumeister, L. Smart, and J. M. Boden's (1996) theory of inflated self-esteem with an inpatient psychiatric youth sample. Participants were assessed on their self-reported self-esteem, self-reported interpersonal problems, and peer rejection (measured by evaluations from 3 or 4 peers). Consistent with the hypotheses, those with low self-esteem reported the most interpersonal problems, followed consecutively by the moderate self-esteem group and then the high self-esteem group, who reported the fewest interpersonal problems. Also in line with the hypotheses, those with low and high self-esteem were rejected by their peers when compared with the moderate self-esteem group. Thus, the high self-esteem group was rejected by their peers but did not themselves report interpersonal problems. These findings provide further support for Baumeister et al.'s theory and generalize the theory to a clinical setting.
Perez
M
M
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee 32306-1270, USA.
Pettit
J W
JW
David
C F
CF
Kistner
J A
JA
Joiner
T E
TE
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010343:Patient Admission; D010379:Peer Group; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D012963:Sociometric Techniques