Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency.
The present research explored the controversial link between global self-esteem and externalizing problems such as aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. In three studies, we found a robust relation between low self-esteem and externalizing problems. This relation held for measures of self-esteem and externalizing problems based on self-report, teachers' ratings, and parents' ratings, and for participants from different nationalities (United States and New Zealand) and age groups (adolescents and college students). Moreover, this relation held both cross-sectionally and longitudinally and after controlling for potential confounding variables such as supportive parenting, parent-child and peer relationships, achievement-test scores, socioeconomic status, and IQ. In addition, the effect of self-esteem on aggression was independent of narcissism, an important finding given recent claims that individuals who are narcissistic, not low in self-esteem, are aggressive. Discussion focuses on clarifying the relations among self-esteem, narcissism, and externalizing problems.
Donnellan
M Brent
MB
Department of Psycholgy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA. donnel159@msu.edu
Trzesniewski
Kali H
KH
Robins
Richard W
RW
Moffitt
Terrie E
TE
Caspi
Avshalom
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support