Focus groups were conducted with young adolescents (N = 61) to obtain a consumer perspective on esteem-enhancement strategies for their age group. Overall, the input obtained supports a comprehensive, psychosocial/developmental approach. To address the views and preferences expressed by young adolescents, program content should (a) provide esteem-enhancing experiences in multiple domains of early adolescent development, (b) reduce reliance on “unhealthy” sources of self-esteem, and (c) be sensitive to diversity in participant backgrounds (e.g., race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status). Program designs should (a) be inclusive (i.e., include all youth) and involve multiple important persons in young adolescents'lives; (b) emphasize an experiential, individualized approach; (c) allow for participation over extended periods of time; and (d) incorporate strong linkages to the surrounding community. Based on current findings and related research, the need for esteem-enhancement strategies that are environmentally oriented and integrated within broader youth development initiatives is emphasized.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
America's Promise: The Alliance for Youth. (1999). Report to the nation: 1999. Alexandria, VA: Author.
2.
Aseltine, R. H., Dupre, M., & Lamlein, P. (2000). Mentoring as a drug prevention strategy: An evaluation of Across Ages. Adolescent and Family Health, 1, 11-20.
3.
Bartholomew, L. K., Parcel, G. S., & Kok, G. (1998). Intervention mapping: A process for developing theory- and evidence-based health education programs. Health Education Behavior, 25, 545-563.
Beane, J. A. (1994). Cluttered terrain: The schools' interest in the self. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. P. Lipka (Eds.), Changing the self: Philosophies, techniques, and experiences (pp. 69-87). Albany: State University of New York Press.
6.
Brassard, M. (1989). The memory jogger plus. Methuen, MA: Goal/QPC.
7.
Brinthaupt, T. M., & Lipka, R. P. (Eds.). (2002). Understanding early adolescent self and identity: Applications and interventions. Albany: State University of New York Press.
8.
Byrne, B. M. (1996). Measuring self-concept across the life span: Issues and instrumentation. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
9.
Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development. (1995). Great transitions: Preparing adolescents for a new century. Washington, DC: Carnegie Corporation.
10.
Catalano, R. F., Berglund, M. L., Ryan, J. A. M., Lonczak, H. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (2002). Positive youth development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of positive youth development programs. Prevention & Treatment, 5, Article 15. Retrieved July 10, 2002, from http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume5/pre0050015a.html
11.
DuBois, D. L. (2003). Self-esteem, adolescence. In T. P. Gullotta & M. Bloom (Eds.) and T. P. Gullotta & G. Adams (Section Eds.), Encyclopedia of primary prevention and health promotion (pp. 953-961). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
12.
DuBois, D. L., Burk-Braxton, C., & Tevendale, H. D. (2002). Esteem-enhancement interventions during early adolescence. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. P. Lipka (Eds.), Understanding early adolescent self and identity: Applications and interventions (pp. 321-371). Albany: State University of New York Press.
13.
DuBois, D. L., Felner, R. D., Brand, S., Phillips, R. S. C., & Lease, A. M. (1996). Early adolescent self-esteem: A developmental-ecological framework and assessment strategy. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 543-579.
14.
DuBois, D. L., & Tevendale, H. D. (1999). Self-esteem in childhood and adolescence: Vaccine or epiphenomenon? Applied and Preventive Psychology, 8, 103-117.
15.
Durlak, J. A. (2000). Health promotion as a strategy in primary prevention. In D. Cicchetti, J. Rappaport, I. Sandler, & R. P. Weissberg (Eds.), The promotion of wellness in children and adolescents (pp. 221-241). Washington, DC: CWLA Press.
16.
Egan, S. K., & Perry, D. G. (2001). Gender identity: A multidimensional analysis with implications for psychosocial adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 37, 451-463.
17.
Fisher, C. B., Wallace, S. A., & Fenton, R. E. (2000). Discrimination distress during adolescence. Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 29, 679-695.
18.
Flay, B. R., Allred, C. G., & Ordway, N. (2001). Effects of the Positive Action program on achievement and discipline: Two matched-control comparisons. Prevention Science, 2, 71-89.
19.
Greenberg, M. T., Domitrovich, C., & Bumbarger, B. (2001). The prevention of mental disorders in school-aged children: Current state of the field. Prevention & Treatment, 4, Article 1. Retrieved June 10, 2002, from http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume4/pre0040001a.html
20.
Gurney, P. W. (1987). Self-esteem in the classroom II: Experiments in enhancement. School Psychology International, 8, 21-29.
21.
Hamachek, D. (1994). Changes in the self from a developmental/psychosocial perspective. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. P. Lipka (Eds.), Changing the self: Philosophies, techniques, and experiences (pp. 21-68). Albany: State University of New York Press.
22.
Haney, P., & Durlak, J. A. (1998). Changing self-esteem in children and adolescents: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, 423-433.
23.
Harter, S. (1998). The development of self-representations. In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & N. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional, and personality development (5th ed., pp. 553-617). New York: John Wiley.
24.
Harter, S. (1999). The construction of the self: A developmental perspective. New York: Guilford.
25.
Hattie, J. (1992). Self-concept. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
26.
Henggeler, S. W., Schoenwald, S. K., Borduin, C. M., Rowland, M. D., & Cunningham, P. B. (1998). Multisystemic treatment of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford.
27.
Hirsch, B., Roffman, J., Deutsch, N., Flynn, C., Loder, T., & Pagano, M. (2000). Inner-city youth development organizations: Strengthening programs for adolescent girls. Journal of Early Adolescence, 20, 210-230.
28.
Institute of Medicine. (1994). Reducing risks for mental disorders. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
29.
Kernis, M. H. (2002). Self-esteem as a multifaceted construct. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. P. Lipka (Eds.), Understanding early adolescent self and identity: Applications and interventions (pp. 57-88). Albany: State University of New York Press.
30.
Kretzmann, J. P., & McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building communities from the inside out: A path toward finding and mobilizing a community's assets. Evanston, IL: Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research, Northwestern University.
31.
Lerner, R. M. (1988). Early adolescent transitions: The lore and laws of adolescence. In M. D. Levine & E. R. McAnarney (Eds.), Early adolescent transitions (pp. 1-21). Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath.
32.
Lindsey, C. R., & Kalafat, J. (1998). Adolescents' views of preferred helper characteristics and barriers to seeking help from school-based adults. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 9, 171-193.
33.
Lopez, C., & DuBois, D. L. (2001, June). Positive adaptation and mental health in early adolescence. Paper presented at Eighth Biennial Conference on Community Research and Action, Atlanta, GA.
34.
Marsh, H. W., Richards, G. E., & Barnes, J. (1986). Multidimensional self-concepts: A long term follow-up of the effect of participation in an Outward Bound program. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 12, 475-492.
35.
Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
36.
Morgan, D. L., & Krueger, R. A. (1998). The focus group kit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
37.
National Research Council. (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
38.
Olweus, D. (1996). Bullying at school: Knowledge base and an effective intervention program. In C. F. Ferris & T. Grisso (Eds.), Understanding aggressive behavior in children (pp. 265-276). New York: New York Academy of Sciences.
39.
Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
40.
Pope, A. W., McHale, S., & Craighead, W. E. (1988). Self-esteem enhancement with children and adolescents. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon.
41.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University.
42.
Roth, J., Brooks-Gunn, J., Murray, L., & Foster, W. (1998). Promoting healthy adolescents: Synthesis of youth development program evaluations. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8, 423-459.
43.
Salmivalli, C. (2001). Feeling good about oneself, being bad to others? Remarks on self-esteem, hostility, and aggressive behavior. Aggression & Violent Behavior, 6, 375-393.
44.
Scheier, L. M., Botvin, G. J., Griffin, K. W., & Diaz, T. (2000). Dynamic growth models of self-esteem and adolescent alcohol use. Journal of Early Adolescence, 20, 178-209.
45.
Silverthorn, N., & Crombie, G. (2002, April). Longitudinal examination of self-esteem from grades 8 to 11: Identification and psychosocial differences of four trajectory groups. In D. L. DuBois (Chair), Change and stability in self-esteem during adolescence: The long and the short of it. Symposium conducted at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence, New Orleans, LA.
46.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2002). Self-esteem and socioeconomic status: A meta-analytic review. Personality & Social Psychology Review, 6, 59-71.
47.
Winett, R. A. (1995). A framework for health promotion programs and disease prevention programs. American Psychologist, 50, 341-350.
48.
Winett, R. A. (1998). Prevention: A proactive-developmental-ecological perspective. In T. H. Ollendick & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of child psychopathology (3rd ed., pp. 637-671). New York: Plenum.
49.
Zeldin, S., McDaniel, A. K., Topitzes, D., & Calvert, M. (2000). Youth in decision-making: A study of the impacts of youth on adults and organizations. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Council.
