"Implicit self-esteem and aggression in adolescents" by Maya Suter, Sebastien Urben et al.

Article Title

Implicit and explicit self-esteem as predictors of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescent boys and girls

Author

Maya Suter, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Department of PsychiatryFollow
Sebastien Urben, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Department of PsychiatryFollow
Sandrine Pihet, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland, School of NursingFollow
Cybele Bertoni, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Department of PsychiatryFollow
Jill De Ridder, University of Fribourg, Department of PsychologyFollow
Philippe Stephan, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Departmnet of PsychiatryFollow

Periodical Title

Journal of Adolescent and Family Health

Volume

Number

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Date

9-22-2015

Abstract

This study aims at examining gender differences and their association with implicit and explicit self-esteem (SE), and reactive and proactive aggression in adolescents. Hundred and eighteen adolescents (60 boys and 58 girls) performed the Implicit Association Test assessing implicit SE. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale was used to measure explicit SE. Reactive and proactive aggression were assessed with the self-report Reactive and Proactive Aggression Scale. Results showed that girls characterized by both low explicit and implicit SE (insecure SE), or by high explicit but low implicit SE (defensive SE), showed more reactive aggression than girls reporting high explicit and implicit SE (secure SE) or low explicit but high implicit SE (anxious SE). In contrast, none of these SE types were associated to reactive aggression in boys. Finally, no significant association was found between the different types of SE and proactive aggression, for both genders.

Cover Page Footnote

The authors would like to thank the adolescents who kindly volunteered to participate in the study and Hélène Turpin for her helpful comments on previous form of the manuscript. Data collection was partly funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF #100014-130553) and the Research Fund of the University of Fribourg.

Subject

Adolescent health services; Families -- Health and hygiene

Keyword

gender differences; implicit measures; self-esteem; reactive-proactive aggression; adolescents

Discipline

Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Community Health

Document Type

articles

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

27 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Recommended Citation

Suter, Maya; Urben, Sebastien; Pihet, Sandrine; Bertoni, Cybele; De Ridder, Jill; and Stephan, Philippe (2015) "Implicit and explicit self-esteem as predictors of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescent boys and girls," Journal of Adolescent and Family Health: Vol. 7: Iss. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/jafh/vol7/iss2/1

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