Factors Associated with Self-Esteem in Sixth Through Ninth Graders

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate factors associated with self- esteem in sixth through ninth graders. The independent variables were locus of control, family structure, sex role, gender, grade level, and parental alcohol usage. Instruments used were the Personal Attribute Inventory, the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, the Bern Sex-Role Inventory, and a Student Information Sheet. The sample consisted of 163 students in sixth through ninth grades from a middle school and a junior high school. Six composite null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance using three-way analysis of variance. A total of 28 comparisons were made with an additional 14 comparisons which were recurring. Of the five comparisons that were statistically significant there were three for main effects and two for interactions. The significant main effects were for family structure for the dependent variable self-esteem, and sex role for both the dependent variables self-esteem and locus of control. The significant interactions were between family structure and locus of control and between family structure and sex role for the dependent variable self-esteem. The results of the present study appear to support the following generalizations: 1) an association between family structure and self-esteem, 2) an association between sex role and self-esteem, 3) an association between sex roles and locus of control, 4) an interaction between family structure, locus of control, and self-esteem, and 5) an interaction between family structure, sex, role, and self-esteem