Relational Self-Worth: Differences in Perceived Worth as a Person across Interpersonal Contexts among Adolescents

Abstract

The present study investigated the hypothesis that in addition to perceptions of one's global self-worth as a person, individuals evaluate their self-worth differently across relational contexts. Perceptions of self-worth among adolescents were examined in 4 such contexts: with parents, teachers, male classmates, and female classmates. The factor pattern revealed a clear, 4-factor solution with negligible cross-loadings. Approximately three-fourths of the participants reported differences in self-worth, ranging from small to large, across contexts. To examine the basis for differences and similarities across relationships, self-worth in each context was predicted by the validation support reported by adolescents in that context. Support in a given context was significantly more highly correlated with relational self-worth in the corresponding context than in any of the other contexts. Adolescents could be divided into subgroups based upon the high correlation between self-worth in one particular context and global self-worth. These findings suggest that how an individual evaluates the self in certain relationships is critical to his or her overall sense of worth as a person.

Children with Reading Disabilities and Outdoor Education

“…This might open up for an increased self-perception in another dimension than reading/learning of academic topics in the classroom, which can increase global self-worth, and thereby reduce the negative effect of their shortcoming in for example reading (Harter, Waters, & Whitesell, 1998). When they have the possibilities to show competences in other areas, they also are given some positive feedback from their classmates, which will affect their view of the self (see for example the theory from Mead, 1934).…”

"I'm OK but You're Not" and Other Peer-Relational Schemas: Explaining Individual Differences in Children's Social Goals.

“…In the present study, this was only partially taken into account. Because children's feelings of self-worth have been found to vary from one relational context to another (Harter et al, 1998), we assessed children's self-perception in the peer context and their general perceptions of peers. Children have different relationships with peers, however, and future studies might benefit from focusing on the genuinely "relational" aspects of relational schemas.…”

“…Because perceptions of self-worth vary across different relational contexts such as with parents, teachers, and classmates (Harter, Waters, & Whitesell, 1998), it is reasonable to use a child's perception of self-withpeers, rather than a more global assessment of self-perception, when predicting social goals within the peer group. Accordingly, the "perception of other" part of the schema was construed by assessing children's representations of their peers rather than of people in general.…”

Parent-Child Communication and Self Concept among Malays Adolescence

“…This means that there are other factors that are more powerful. For example, a study conducted by Harter (1998) shows that the strength of relationship between the two variables (communication parents, children and self-concept) is only at a moderate level (r = 0.37). A total ofthe faith, speaking with a gentle tone, maintain a good relationship with their parents and relatives and so on, where it is associated with the values adopted in a collectivistic society.…”