title: Intra-individual variability of self-esteem in adolescents with spina bifida.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore intra-individual variability of global self-esteem and physical self-worth in adolescents with spina bifida (n = 3). Three adolescents were assessed in their schools by auto-evaluation over a period of 12 weeks (three times a week) with the Physical Self Inventory-6, a six-item questionnaire with a visual analogue scale. Statistical analyses included auto-correlation function (ACF) for studying the time series. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that in all the dimensions of physical self and global self-esteem, participants showed great variability over time. Auto-correlation function indicated 20 non-stationary and unstable time series, and four stationary time series. The non-stationary evolution of physical self, and global self-esteem in the three adolescents with spina bifida studied may explain the absence of consensus in the literature on the level of the self-perception. Future longitudinal research needs to be engaged.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ninot
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Kozub
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: De Potter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires