The relationship between self-esteem of myopic children and ocular and demographic characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate self-esteem and its relationship with various ocular and demographic characteristics in 469 myopic children participating in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET), an ongoing, randomized, multicenter clinical trial designed to evaluate the effects of progressive addition lenses vs. single vision lenses on the progression of juvenile-onset myopia.


METHODS
Baseline data collection included demographic information, refractive error measurements, parent-reported myopia history, child-reported visual symptoms, and self-esteem in several areas (scholastic/athletic competence, physical appearance, social acceptance, behavioral conduct, and global self-worth) as measured by the Self-Perception Profile for Children. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with self-esteem.


RESULTS
The Self-Perception Profile for Children is a reliable measure of self-esteem in COMET children as indicated by the high internal consistency reliabilities (0.74 to 0.81) obtained for the various domains. COMET children's mean self-esteem scores ranged from 2.72 +/- 0.69 for athletic competence to 3.36 +/- 0.56 for global self-worth and were similar to normative samples. Multiple regression analyses showed that less symptomatic children had higher self-esteem in all areas (p < 0.05), except athletic competence, after adjusting for other ocular and demographic characteristics. Self-esteem also varied significantly by age, gender, and ethnicity (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Baseline self-esteem is associated with visual symptoms, age, gender, and ethnicity, but not with magnitude of refractive error. Follow-up reports will assess whether there are changes in self-esteem associated with myopia progression and lens assignment.
Dias
Lynette
L
Dept of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8036, USA. ldias@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Manny
Ruth E
RE
Hyman
Leslie
L
Fern
Karen
K
D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009216:Myopia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States; D014785:Vision, Ocular