Self-Enhancement, Generality Level of Self-Evaluation, and Emotional Adjustment

Three hypotheses regarding self-concept and emotional adjustment were tested: (a) self-concept has a hierarchical structure in which self-evaluations become more positive as they become more general, (b) self-enhancement is positively associated with emotional adjustment, and (c) prediction of emotional adjustment is improved as more general levels of self-enhancement are involved. Three independent samples consisting of 708 students in 7th and 8th grades in Israel participated. The data supported Hypotheses 1 and 3, which were replicated in independent samples, for 2 different content domains of self-evaluation. Hypothesis 2 was partially supported.