Determinants of Self-Esteem in Children with Congenital/Acquired Limb Deficiencies

Social support, family functioning, self-perceptions of appearance, school, behavior, athletics, and social competence, as well as daily hassles/microstressors, were investigated as determinants of general self-esteem in 41 children with congenital/acquired limb deficiencies. Classmate, parent, teacher, and friend social support all were significant predictors of self-esteem. Family conflict and organization were also significantly associated with self-esteem, as were microstressors. The overall model of significant predictor variables accounted for 66% of the variance in general self-esteem. General self-esteem also was significantly predictive of depressive symptomatology. The findings suggest a number of factors which are potentially modifiable and which might enhance general self-esteem in children with visible physical handicaps.