Determinants of Self-Esteem Among Incarcerated Delinquents

The current study tested Rosenberg's (1979) hypothetical determinants of self-esteem among incarcerated delinquents. The results generally suipported his model in that self-esteem was lower for delinquents who accepted the personal relevance of the delinquent rolelidentity, for those who were aware of negative societal views of delinquents, andfor those who agreed with these negative views. However, the specific pattern of determinants varied for global as opposed to role-specific self-esteem. Greater centrality of the delinquent rolelidentity was also associated with lower self-esteem. These findings are consistent with a view of self-concept formation based on reflected appraisals, in that having a socially unacceptable rolelidentity that is relatively central to self-definition is also more damaging to self-esteem.