Peer Relationships, Self-Esteem, and the Self

ABSTRACTSelf-esteem and peer relationships are such interconnected phenomena that the self-evaluation may be viewed, in large measure, as the inner experience of the esteem in which one is held by one's peers. The ability to have successful peer relations, which validates one's sense of personal worth, depends on positive self-esteem. This article provides a review of the relevant research literature of the last ten years, but it is of interest that discussions of the relationship between self-esteem and peer relations date back to William James, and include Sullivan, Cooley, and Piaget.