title: Evaluating the link between self-esteem and temperament in Mexican origin early adolescents.
abstract: The present study examined the relation between self-esteem and temperament in a sample of 646 Mexican-American early adolescents (mean age=10.4). Findings show that (a) early adolescents with high self-esteem exhibit higher levels of Effortful Control but, contrary to findings in adult samples, do not differ from low self-esteem adolescents in Negative Affectivity; (b) low self-esteem is associated with Depression; and (c) low self-esteem is associated with Aggression. These findings replicated for boys and girls, two measures of self-esteem, and child and mother reports of temperament. The present study contributes to an emerging understanding of the link between self-esteem and temperament, and provides much needed data on the nature of self-esteem in ethnic minority populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. rwrobins@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Robins
authors.forename: M Brent
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Donnellan
authors.forename: Keith F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Widaman
authors.forename: Rand D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Conger
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D013694:Temperament