Examining the Role of Self-Esteem in the Association between Emotional Vulnerability and Psychological Well-Being.

Authors

Presenter(s)

Kathryn M. Schilling

Files

Description

The purpose of the proposed study was to examine the association between emotional vulnerability and psychological well-being, and test whether the association varies based on level of self-esteem. Researchers define psychological well-being as an appraisal of one’s life where a person gives conscious evaluative judgments about one’s satisfaction with life as a whole (Grossi et al., 2013). Emotional vulnerability is defined as the degree to which a person renders himself or herself exposed to the emotional pain of rejection. Experiencing social rejection has a negative effect on self-esteem, however, having high self-esteem may buffer the self against the pain of rejection. Previous research suggests that vulnerability is an important trait essential to satisfying the human need to create and maintain close relationships. Taken together, the present research examined whether self-esteem influences whether emotional vulnerability is associated with positive or negative psychological well-being. Participants first completed a measure of self-esteem and were then randomly assigned to an experimental group where they wrote about a time they felt emotionally vulnerable, or a control group. Participants then completed a measure of psychological well-being. Current predictions are that emotional vulnerability will contribute to better well-being for individuals with high self-esteem, but poorer psychological well-being for those with lower self-esteem. The findings from the present study have important implications for understanding the role that self-esteem plays in how emotional vulnerability influences psychological well-being.

Publication Date

4-9-2015

Project Designation

Honors Thesis

Primary Advisor

Erin O'Mara

Primary Advisor's Department

Psychology

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Business | Education | Engineering | Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences | Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Recommended Citation

"Examining the Role of Self-Esteem in the Association between Emotional Vulnerability and Psychological Well-Being." (2015). Stander Symposium Projects. 576.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/576