There is abundant evidence that a child's self-esteem has a key role in determining the quality of peer relationships, shaping personal adjustments, providing motivation, and achieving scholastic and athletic success. Theauthors attempted to determine whether adolescents who were extremely low birth-weight (ELBW) infants (501-1000 gm) have lower self-esteem than controls subjects born at term. A total of 132 children aged 12 to 16 years who had been ELBW infants were evaluated along with 127 sociodemographically matched control adolescents, also born in the years 1977 to 1982. The Harter Self-Perception Profile is designed to measure how teenagers perceive their competence in several domains (school performance, social acceptance, athletic achievement, physical appearance, romantic appeal, job competence, behavioral conduct, close friendship). The questionnaire was completed following an interview intended to gauge the subjects' health-related quality of life. Mean test scores did not differ in any domain.between teenagers with and those without impairments. Global self-worth was similar for the ELBW and control groups. There were no differences between the two groups in most domains of perceived self-esteem or in the importance accorded these domains. The only significantly difference was in athletic competence, where the ELBW adolescents rated themselves lower than controls. In addition, heavier adolescents rated themselves higher on close friendships, and girls had higher close friendship ratings than did boys. Children with higher math scores rated themselves better on scholastic competence. In general, teenagers who were ELBW infants do not exhibit lower self-esteem than their normal-birth-weight peers. Additional studies on both self-esteem and emotional adjustment might reveal antecedents of maladjustment and help in planning timely intervention.
Objective. To determine whether there are any differences between the self-esteem of a cohort of adolescents who were extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in comparison with term controls (Cs); and to test the associations between self-esteem and several predefined predictor variables. Background. Self-esteem is considered to play a significant role in psychological adjustment and scholastic success. Little information exists on how adolescents who were ELBW regard themselves. Design/Methods. Longitudinal follow-up of a regional cohort of 132/169 (78%) ELBW survivors and 127/145 (88%) sociodemographically matched Cs, born between 1977 and 1982. Measures: Harter Adolescent Self-Perception Profile (1988) with 9 dimensions, including Global Self-Worth, socioeconomic status (Hollingshead), height-for-age and weight-for-age z scores, and Wide Range Achievement Test—Revised (WRAT-R; Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic). Data Analysis: General linear model multiple analyses of covariance were performed to determine whether significant relationships existed between the 9 self-esteem dimensions and the independent variables of birth weight status and gender, and the covariates of age, socioeconomic status, physical development, and academic achievement. Results. Global Self Worth was similar for ELBW and Cs (means: 3.1 and 3.2). Multivariate effects revealed no interactions, but significant main effects emerged for birth weight status, gender, weight-for-age z scores, age in months, and for all 3 WRAT-R subtests, all effect sizes medium to large. Follow-up analysis of covariance revealed medium-size gender effects for athletic competence (means: 3.1 and 2.6), and physical appearance (means: 2.9 and 2.5), where boys rated themselves significantly higher on both domains; and age effects, where older teens rated themselves better for job competence. Significant but small effect sizes emerged for the following: 1) weight-for-age z scores, where heavier youth rated themselves higher on close friendships, 2) gender, where girls had higher ratings for close friendships, 3) birth weight, where Cs rated themselves higher on athletic competence, and 4) WRAT-R math effect, where children with higher math scores rated themselves better on scholastic competence. Conclusions. Overall, ELBW teenagers do not differ significantly from C teenagers on most dimensions of self-esteem. Gender effects emerged on some Harter domains.
