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Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Donnellan, MB; Trzesniewski, KH; Robins, RW; Moffitt, TE; Caspi, A
Published in: Psychological science
April 2005

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.

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Published In

Psychological science

DOI

EISSN

1467-9280

ISSN

0956-7976

Publication Date

April 2005

Volume

16

Issue

4

Start / End Page

328 / 335

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Support
  • Self Concept
  • Risk Factors
  • Personality Assessment
  • Parenting
  • New Zealand
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Internal-External Control
 

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Donnellan, M. B., Trzesniewski, K. H., Robins, R. W., Moffitt, T. E., & Caspi, A. (2005). Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. Psychological Science, 16(4), 328–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01535.x
Donnellan, M Brent, Kali H. Trzesniewski, Richard W. Robins, Terrie E. Moffitt, and Avshalom Caspi. “Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency.Psychological Science 16, no. 4 (April 2005): 328–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01535.x.
Donnellan MB, Trzesniewski KH, Robins RW, Moffitt TE, Caspi A. Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. Psychological science. 2005 Apr;16(4):328–35.
Donnellan, M. Brent, et al. “Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency.Psychological Science, vol. 16, no. 4, Apr. 2005, pp. 328–35. Epmc, doi:10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01535.x.
Donnellan MB, Trzesniewski KH, Robins RW, Moffitt TE, Caspi A. Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. Psychological science. 2005 Apr;16(4):328–335.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychological science

DOI

EISSN

1467-9280

ISSN

0956-7976

Publication Date

April 2005

Volume

16

Issue

4

Start / End Page

328 / 335

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Support
  • Self Concept
  • Risk Factors
  • Personality Assessment
  • Parenting
  • New Zealand
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Internal-External Control