Collective Self-Esteem and Well-Being Among College Students in Ghana

Abstract

Collectivist values may influence one’s display of self-esteem. Past research has established an association between psychological well-being and individuals’ appraisal of their value as a member of a social group, self-evaluation as an individual, and perception of others’ evaluation of their group (collective self-esteem). This study examined collective self-esteem, specifically whether private and public collective self-esteem and member self-esteem predicted psychological well-being alongside individual self-esteem in a sample ( N = 416) of university students in Ghana. A linear regression tested the predictive ability of collective self-esteem for depression and anxiety symptoms. The results indicated that while individual self-esteem was related to lower levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, collective self-esteem was unrelated. In our sample of Ghanaian students, these findings suggest that personal self-esteem is more meaningful than collective self-esteem for their psychological well-being. This knowledge is instrumental for informing mental health interventions for this group.

International Psychology for Peace and Prosperity

“…Having access to “research that examines human behavior and experiences around the globe… that is contextually informed, (and) culturally inclusive” (International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 2023) hopefully contributes to battling misinformation and ignorance. The articles included in this first issue of 2024 reflect these thrusts with research coming from the Carribean (Asnaani et al, 2024), Ghana (Nonterah et al, 2024), the Philippines (Baquiano, 2024), and Vietnam (Nguyen et al, 2024) as well as the multicultural study of Gopal et al (2024).…”