Self-Esteem in Adults With ADHD Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and analyze recent articles investigating self-esteem in adults with ADHD, focusing on the impact of demographic and clinical characteristics, and methodological issues. METHOD: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search for literature published between 2010 and 2022 was conducted in the Web of Science, Ovid, Pubmed, and EBSCO databases. RESULTS: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. Five of the six studies including healthy controls reported lower self-esteem in participants with ADHD. ADHD symptoms correlated negatively with self-esteem. Gender differences were not observed. Self-esteem mediated several outcomes associated with ADHD. There was a lack of studies that examined potential mechanisms behind the reduced self-esteem, and studies controlling for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: A robust association between ADHD and low self-esteem in adults emerged, but the lack of control of confounding variables is critical to consider when interpreting the findings. Longitudinal studies addressing the limitations of the current studies are needed.

Evaluating the influence of dental aesthetics on psychosocial well-being and self-esteem among students of the University of Novi Sad, Serbia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: A person's smile has been identified as one of the first observed facial characteristics. Even minor deviations from societal beauty standards, especially among younger individuals, can have a negative effect on their self-esteem. The aim of this research is to evaluate the self-perceived psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics and self-esteem among respondents and their association, as well as to determine the main factors contributing to dissatisfaction with dental appearance. METHODS: This research was conducted as a cross-sectional study that surveyed students of the University of Novi Sad. Other Universities and private faculties were excluded from participation. Data collection used standardized questionnaires measuring the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics (PIDAQ) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Questionnaire (an online GoogleForms) was sent to the students via official Facebook groups of the faculties, student's e-mails and Instagram profiles. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Students T-test, ANOVA, multiple linear regression analysis and Spearman coefficient. To test internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha(α) was calculated for the questionnaire as a whole (0,761) and each used questionnaire (PIDAQ - 0.766; RSES - 0.765). Cronbach's alpha(α) was also calculated for each domain from PIDAQ (DSC-0.946; SI-0.882; PI-0.953; AC-0.916). RESULTS: The study involved 410 participants, predominantly female (80%), aged between 21 and 23 (45.4%), primarily in ther first academic year (21.5%), and with a grade point average between 8.01 and 9.00 (42.4%). Data analysis has shown a statistically significant difference in the total PIDAQ score and SI subdomain in relation to the academic year (total PIDAQ p = 0.025; SI p = 0.000). In terms of self-esteem, results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the academic year (95%CI: 0.410-1.837; p = 0.002) and the average point grade (95%CI: -0.025-1.600; p = 0.047) were significant predictors of greater self-esteem. The Spearman coefficient value (r=-0.316, p < 0.001) confirmed a statistically significant negative correlation between PIDAQ and self-esteem. Only 34% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their teeth. Dissatisfaction about the smile was primarily attributed to the arrangement and positioning of their teeth (32.2%). Financial constraints were identified as the main barrier for seeking interventions to improve smile satisfaction (39.5%). CONCLUSION: Students experiencing a greater psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics tended to exhibit lower self-esteem.

Combining Asset Accumulation and Multifamily Group Intervention to Improve Mental Health for Adolescent Girls: A Cluster-Randomized Trial in Uganda.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to expand the current knowledge on the relationship between poverty, family functioning, and the mental health of adolescent girls in families affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS in southern Uganda. The study investigates the association between family functioning and mental health and examines whether family functioning moderates the intervention effect on adolescent mental health. METHODS: Longitudinal data were collected over the course of 24 months in a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted among N=1,260 girls aged 14-17 years in Uganda. Participants were randomized into control group (n=408 girls from n=16 schools), matched youth development accounts treatment, YDA (n=471 girls from n=16 schools), and integrated intervention combining YDA with multiple family group component (n=381 girls from n=15 schools). RESULTS: We found a significant positive association between family functioning and mental health of adolescent girls in our sample. Moderator analyses suggests that effect of the intervention on Beck Hopelessness Scale was significantly moderated by family cohesion (χ2 (4) =21.43; p = .000), frequency of family communication (χ2 (4) =9.65; p = .047), and quality of child-caregiver relationship (χ2 (4) =11.12; p = .025). Additionally, the intervention effect on depression was moderated by the comfort of family communication (χ2 (4) =10.2; p = .037). DISCUSSION: The study findings highlight the importance of family functioning when examining the link from poverty to adolescent mental health. The study contributes to the scarce evidence suggesting that asset-accumulation opportunities combined with a family strengthening component may improve parenting practices and adolescent mental health in poor households.

Social Media Effect on Personal Self-Esteem Among the Population in Saudi Arabia.

Background Self-esteem is a self-valuation; it is how people perceive their own worth and how valuable they believe they are to others. In this study, our primary objective was to explore the association between social media use and self-esteem among individuals who actively engage with social media platforms in Saudi Arabia. Method This study involved individuals aged 15 and above who are active social media users residing in Saudi Arabia. The data were collected through an anonymous online cross-sectional survey. Participants were recruited using snowball and convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was administered through Google Forms to collect data from participants. The questionnaire was structured into three sections, which included gathering social and demographic information, assessing personal usage patterns, and evaluating individual self-esteem levels using an Arabic valid version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.  Results The survey included a total of 2,551 participants. Among them, 51.3% (n = 1,309) were female, 29% (n = 741) fell within the 21-25 age group, 95.7% (n = 2,441) were of Saudi nationality, and 51.6% (n = 1,316) were single. The social media platform most frequently used by participants was TikTok 98.5% (n = 2,512), followed by Facebook 95.7% (n = 2,441), Telegram 89.8% (n = 2,291), YouTube 72.2% (n = 1,942), WhatsApp 66.0% (n = 1,683), and finally, Snapchat 30.7% (n = 1,769). In total, 14.3% (n= 366) have low self-esteem, participants scored around 16.10 ± 1.80, ranging from 5 to 25. The following variables were significantly associated with self-esteem: female sex (83.88% vs 87.52%, X2 = 6.87, p = 0.009), nationality (X2 = 13.507, p < 0.001), marital status (X2 = 12.313, p = 0.006), region (X2 = 18.36, p = 0.001), using Tik Tok (X2 = 4.11, p = 0.043), the frequency of posting comments (X2 = 12.01, p = 0.017), comparing oneself to others (X2 = 27.94, p < 0.001), using social media because of weak personal communication (X2 = 6.56, p = 0.010), using social media to follow news (X2 = 6.89, p = 0.009), and the perceived effect of social media (X2 = 16.28, p < 0.001). Conclusions Our findings revealed that a minority of participants exhibited low self-esteem, and individuals from the Northern region were more likely to report such issues. Sociodemographic factors, including gender, nationality, and marital status, demonstrated associations with self-esteem. Additionally, the frequency of comments, TikTok usage, and peer comparison significantly influenced self-esteem levels.

Validation of the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: evidence from a three-wave longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The 10-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a widely used tool for individuals to self-report their self-esteem; however, the factorial structures of translated versions of the RSES vary across different languages. This study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the RSES in the Chinese mainland using a longitudinal design. METHODS: A group of healthcare university students completed the RSES across three waves: baseline, 1-week follow-up, and 15-week follow-up. A total of 481 valid responses were collected through the three-wave data collection process. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the baseline data to explore the potential factorial structure, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the follow-up data to determine the best-fit model. Additionally, the cross-sectional and longitudinal measurement invariances were tested to assess the measurement properties of the RSES for different groups, such as gender and age, as well as across different time points. Convergent validity was assessed against the Self-Rated Health Questionnaire (SRHQ) using Spearman's correlation. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients, while test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The results of EFA revealed that Items 5, 8, and 9 had inadequate or cross-factor loadings, leading to their removal from further analysis. Analysis of the remaining seven items using EFA suggested a two-factor solution. A comparison of several potential models for the 10-item and 7-item RSES using CFA showed a preference for the 7-item form (RSES-7) with two factors. Furthermore, the RSES-7 exhibited strict invariance across different groups and time points, indicating its stability and consistency. The RSES-7 also demonstrated adequate convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability, which further supported its robustness as a measure of self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the RSES-7 is a psychometrically sound and brief self-report scale for measuring self-esteem in the Chinese context. More studies are warranted to further verify its usability.

Comparing the Psychometric Properties of a Scale Across Three Likert and Three Alternative Formats: An Application to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

Zhang and Savalei proposed an alternative scale format to the Likert format, called the Expanded format. In this format, response options are presented in complete sentences, which can reduce acquiescence bias and method effects. The goal of the current study was to compare the psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) in the Expanded format and in two other alternative formats, relative to several versions of the traditional Likert format. We conducted two studies to compare the psychometric properties of the RSES across the different formats. We found that compared with the Likert format, the alternative formats tend to have a unidimensional factor structure, less response inconsistency, and comparable validity. In addition, we found that the Expanded format resulted in the best factor structure among the three alternative formats. Researchers should consider the Expanded format, especially when creating short psychological scales such as the RSES.

The impact of low self-esteem on academic achievement and the behaviors related to it among medical students in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the prevalence of low self-esteem among medical students in Saudi Arabia and determine its impact on their behaviors and academic achievement. METHODS: We hypothesized that the level of self-esteem reflected on the student's academic performance and linked to some of their behaviors. A cross-sectional study was carried out among students of the medical colleges in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed electronically using social media platforms, socio-demographic data, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale, and a questionnaire about self-esteem-related behaviors. RESULTS: Of 1099 participants (55.9% females and 50% males), 24.1% showed low self-esteem. Independent significant predictors of low self-esteem were female gender and diagnosis with mental illness. Increasing GPA was associated with better self-esteem. Participating in students' study groups and attending self-development programs were estimated to be the protective factors against low self-esteem. CONCLUSION: One-quarter of medical students are assumed to have low self-esteem. Improved GPA ratings positively influence self-esteem, while attending students' study groups and self-development programs were identified as protective factors for low self-esteem. Further studies are needed to shed more light on this important topic.

Psychometric properties of the Telugu version of Rosenberg Self-esteem scale (RSES-T).

Background: The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) is the most commonly used tool for measuring global self-esteem. Till date, RSES has been translated into different languages and the reports are good for their validity and reliability. Telugu being the fourth most spoken language in India, it is timely to translate and validate the Telugu version of RSES. The aim of this study thus is to assess the psychometric properties of the Telugu version of Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES-T). Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: This study was carried out to assess the psychometric properties of RSES-T among undergraduate students of a dental college. For this purpose, the English version of RSES was translated into Telugu and was administered to the participants along with the revised English version of Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale (SL/SC-R) to evaluate the construct validity. The internal consistency of RSES-T was assessed using Cronbach´s α and the temporal stability was tested by test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the underlying dimensional structure of the questionnaire by assessing the cor-relation of RSES-T with SL/SC-R. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a positive one-factor structure with Model 3 showing the best fit to data. Internal consistency for RSES-T was found to be good with Cronbach's α of 0.82 at follow-up and the test-retest reliability was found to be satisfactory (0.42) after a two weeks' interval. Furthermore, the item-wise mean score differences showed higher scores for male students than females. Likewise, the item-total correlation of RSES-T showed positive correlation with scores varying from 0.17 to 0.69 at the follow-up. Conclusion: The Telugu version of RSES exhibited a unidimensional structure and showed good psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, construct validity and reliability. Hence, these findings provide empirical support to evaluate global self-esteem among Telugu speaking population in future.

The effect of self-esteem on the spread of a pandemic. A cross-country analysis of the role played by self-esteem in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Extant research on COVID-19 suggests that many socio-economic determinants, by affecting personal behavior, have influenced the evolution of the pandemic. In this paper we study the role played in this regard by average levels of self-esteem in the public. There are reasons to believe that both low and very levels of self-esteem may have an effect on the spread of COVID-19, for opposite reasons. On the one hand, people with low self-esteem may not worry enough to behave in the way recommended (and prescribed, through non-pharmaceutical interventions) by the authorities; people with very high self-esteem, on the other hand, may be over-confident and fail to follow the prescriptions, believing that they do not need them. In this study we test this hypothesis by means of a quantitative cross-country analysis, using a hybrid model and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Our results suggest the existence of a U-shaped relationship between the trend of COVID-19 and average levels of self-esteem in a country.

Nomophobia and Self-Esteem: A Cross Sectional Study in Greek University Students.

Nomophobia is a relatively new term describing someone's fear, discomfort, or anxiety when his/her smartphone is not available. It is reported that low self-esteem may contribute to an individual's tendency for nomophobia. The aim of this particular study was to investigate the association between nomophobia and self-esteem among Greek university students. The study sample consisted of 1060 male and female university students aged 18 to 25 years, participating on a voluntary basis with an online anonymous questionnaire. Data were collected through "Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q)" and "Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (RSES)". All participants exhibited some level of nomophobia, with the moderate level prevailing (59.6%). Regarding self-esteem categories, 18.7% of the participants showed low self-esteem, while the rest showed normal/high levels. Students with low self-esteem were twice as likely to exhibit a higher level of nomophobia compared to those with normal/high (adj Cum OR = 1.99, p value < 0.001). Additionally, women and students having fathers without a university education had a higher risk of exhibiting a greater level of nomophobia (adj Cum OR = 1.56 and 1.44, respectively, p values ≤ 0.008). It was observed that low self-esteem and nomophobia are closely connected. Further investigation into this particular issue is needed to explore potential causality between them.

How Does the Number of Response Options Impact the Psychometric Properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is the most frequently used measure of self-esteem in the social sciences. These items are often administered with a different number of response options, but it is unclear how the number of response options impacts the psychometric properties of this measure. Across three experiments (Ns = 739, 2,358, and 1,461), we evaluated how different response options of the Rosenberg influenced (a) coefficient alpha estimates, (b) distributions of scores, and (c) associations with criterion-related variables. Observed coefficient alpha estimates were lowest for a 2-point format compared with response formats with more options. However, supplemental analyses using ordinal alpha pointed to similar estimates across conditions. Using four or more response options better approximated a normal distribution for observed summary scores. We found no consistent evidence that criterion-related correlations increased with more response options. Collectively, these results suggest that the Rosenberg should be administered with at least four response options and we favor a 5-point Likert-type response format.

Welfare and Self-Assessment in Patients after Aesthetic and Reconstructive Treatments.

In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the interest in aesthetic and corrective surgery regardless of a patient's age. Both aesthetical and practical considerations are a motivation for patients undergoing plastic surgery. The goal of this study is to analyze dependencies between welfare, self-assessment and body self-perception in patients that qualified for plastic and aesthetic surgical procedures. The study group included 164 female patients, of whom 124 patients filled out a questionnaire before and after surgery. The questionnaire included demographic data and scales such as the Body Esteem Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale-SES, the Satisfaction with Life Scale-SWLS, the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience-SPANE. The first hypothesis concerned the subjective assessment of body self-perception after the procedure. The results of the study confirm this hypothesis-female patients after surgery rate their body self-perception higher, which indicates a positive influence of plastic and aesthetic surgery that increased in the subjective assessment of 66 examined patients. Moreover, the study revealed a higher self-assessment after procedures. On the other hand, the results indicated that younger patients had a higher body assessment, but there was no increase in self-assessment. Except for breast augmentation surgery, there was no influence on self-assessment and life satisfaction improvement after other surgical procedures. In patients up to 48 years old, after surgery, there was a significant dependence between subjective body self-assessment and all surveyed forms of welfare. In the case of patients after 48 year of age, there was a relationship between life satisfaction and body self-perception both before and after surgical treatment.

Impostor Phenomenon and Its Relationship to Self-Esteem Among Students at an International Medical College in the Middle East: A Cross Sectional Study.

The atmosphere of constant scrutiny of academic ability that prevails in medical colleges may leave some students at risk of expressing feelings of intellectual fraudulence and phoniness. Impostor phenomenon (IP) traits have been associated with anxiety, depression, job dissatisfaction, and poor professional performance. Internationally trained junior doctors exhibit stronger IP feelings than colleagues trained within their own country of citizenship. These feelings may develop during student life. International universities are diverse and complex environments where students may be emersed in a cultural milieu alien to their societies of origin, leading to feelings of isolation. Individuals with IP traits often perceive themselves as the "only one" experiencing this phenomenon, resulting in further isolation and negative self-evaluation, especially among women and underrepresented minorities. IP has also been linked to low self-esteem among students. This study assessed the prevalence of IP and its relationship to self-esteem among students at a campus of a European medical college with a large international student body situated in the Middle East. The self-administered questionnaires: Clance's Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were completed by 290 medical students (58.3% females). Participants' median (range) age was 19 years (16-35). Students were of 28 different nationalities; the largest proportions were from Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) countries. The prevalence of low self-esteem was 18.6%, while 45.2% of the students demonstrated traits suggestive of IP. There was a strongly negative correlation between CIPS and RSES (r = -0.71). No significant gender differences were found in IP. Similarly, no differences in IP were found when comparing between age groups, previous experience in higher education or year of study. Multivariate analysis showed that students from GCC countries had higher levels of self-esteem relative to students from other regions. Low self-esteem was a strong predictor of IP. Country of origin may influence students' self-esteem studying in international university settings.

Prevalence of COVID-19 Pandemic, Self-Esteem and Its Effect on Depression Among University Students in Saudi Arabia.

Background and Aims: University students are commonly identified as susceptible, suffering from higher anxiety, stress, and depression than the overall population. During the Corona Virus Disease pandemic (COVID), education was shifted to the virtual learning environment. Students' ambiguity regarding academic accomplishment, imminent careers, changes in social life, and other concerns all these factors played a role in amplifying their stress levels, anxiety, and depression worldwide. This study investigates university students' self-esteem and depressions after they have been online learning for over 1 year due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Methods: For this research, an adapted questionnaire of Rosenberg (Self-Esteem Scale) and Zung (Self-Rating Depression Scale) was used to get the responses of the participants of public and private universities in Saudi Arabia during March-April 2021. We received a total of 151 valid responses from respondents. For data analysis, we used descriptive statistics, ANOVA, multiple regression and binary logistic regression. Findings: The results showed that 75% of the students experienced different levels of depressions, with half (37.5%) having moderate to extreme levels of depression. A total of 41% of students experienced low self-esteem (38% females and 45% males). The regression results indicated depressive symptoms for low self-esteem. Furthermore, results of logistic regression showed that high self-esteem reduces the chances of getting depressive symptoms by 17%. The depressive symptoms were higher in female students than their male counterparts; furthermore, males experienced depressive symptoms less than females by 38%. Conclusions: Based on the current research results, it is concluded that the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the depressive symptoms in students, especially in female students. The findings suggested instant consideration and support for students. It is also suggested to the quest for potential managing policies that have been known and effective during the pandemic. Moreover, training should be provided for students to shift their educational experience mindset to an adaptive mindset, which can help them adapt to the new ways of learning and education.

Unraveling Hidden Major Factors by Breaking Heterogeneity into Homogeneous Parts within Many-System Problems.

For a large ensemble of complex systems, a Many-System Problem (MSP) studies how heterogeneity constrains and hides structural mechanisms, and how to uncover and reveal hidden major factors from homogeneous parts. All member systems in an MSP share common governing principles of dynamics, but differ in idiosyncratic characteristics. A typical dynamic is found underlying response features with respect to covariate features of quantitative or qualitative data types. Neither all-system-as-one-whole nor individual system-specific functional structures are assumed in such response-vs-covariate (Re-Co) dynamics. We developed a computational protocol for identifying various collections of major factors of various orders underlying Re-Co dynamics. We first demonstrate the immanent effects of heterogeneity among member systems, which constrain compositions of major factors and even hide essential ones. Secondly, we show that fuller collections of major factors are discovered by breaking heterogeneity into many homogeneous parts. This process further realizes Anderson's "More is Different" phenomenon. We employ the categorical nature of all features and develop a Categorical Exploratory Data Analysis (CEDA)-based major factor selection protocol. Information theoretical measurements-conditional mutual information and entropy-are heavily used in two selection criteria: C1-confirmable and C2-irreplaceable. All conditional entropies are evaluated through contingency tables with algorithmically computed reliability against the finite sample phenomenon. We study one artificially designed MSP and then two real collectives of Major League Baseball (MLB) pitching dynamics with 62 slider pitchers and 199 fastball pitchers, respectively. Finally, our MSP data analyzing techniques are applied to resolve a scientific issue related to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

Association of alopecia with self-esteem in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Hair is important for individuals due to its cosmetic functions and its anatomical and physiological features. Hair loss in children significantly affects their social and psychological well-being and may lead to significant psychological distress in those not benefiting from medical and/or traditional therapies. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the self-esteem in children and adolescents with alopecia areata. METHODS: This comparative study included children and adolescents with the diagnosis of alopecia and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Self-esteem was evaluated by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). RESULTS: The study included 64 patients with alopecia (M/F, 32/32; mean age, 12.2 ± 3.0 years) and 60 healthy controls (M/F, 30/30; mean age, 12.0 ± 3.0 years). Age (p=0.64) and sex (p=1.0) distributions were similar between the groups. Of the patients, 35 had alopecia areata, 21 had alopecia universalis, and eight had alopecia totalis. The RSES score of patients was significantly higher than that of the controls (median [interquartile range], 1 [0-2] and 1 [0-1], respectively; p=0.008). The distribution of the participants according to the level of self-esteem (low, moderate, and high) based on the RSES scores revealed that, the proportion of patients with low and moderate self-esteem were significantly higher as compared with controls (p=0.001). The diagnostic subtype and sex did not affect the distribution of self-esteem scores in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hair loss is a significant factor affecting self-esteem of children and adolescents. Deteriorations in self-esteem may progress to psychological comorbidities if not approached, diagnosed, and treated timely and efficiently.

Wording Effects in Assessment: Missing the Trees for the Forest.

This article examines wording effects when positive and negative worded items are included in psychological assessment. Wordings effects have been analyzed in the literature using statistical approaches based on population homogeneity assumptions (i.e. CFA, SEM), commonly adopting the bifactor model to separate trait variance and wording effects. This article presents an alternative approach by explicitly modeling population heterogeneity through a latent profile model, based on the idea that a subset of individuals exhibits wording effects. This kind of mixture model allows simultaneously to classify respondents, substantively characterize the differences in their response profiles, and report respondents' results in a comparable manner. Using the Rosenberg's self-esteem scale data from the LISS Panel (N = 6,762) in three studies, we identify a subgroup of participants who respond differentially according to item-wording and examine the impact of its responses in the estimation of the RSES measurement model, in terms of global and individual fit, under one-factor and bifactor models.The results of these analyses support the interpretation of wording effects in terms of a theoretically-proposed differential pattern of response to positively and negatively worded items, introducing a valuable tool for examining the artifactual or substantive interpretations of such wording effects.

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Translation and Validation in the Greek Language in Adolescents.

Self-esteem constitutes a characteristic which can influence the person in many dimensions, depending on the perception positive or negative, which the individual has for himself/herself. The most usable tool for measuring self-esteem is the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). In order to be validated in the Greek language in adolescents, the RSES was completed by 204 high school students, aged 12 to 18 years, at a private school in the suburbs of the region of Attica in Greece. Additional questionnaires were administered simultaneously, i.e., the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventories, Third Edition (CFSEI-3) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The reliability and validity results of the RSES indicated satisfactory internal reliability index (Cronbach's a .89 and .80). The RSES showed good concurrent validity. Statistically significant relationships with academic performance and PANAS were observed. The Greek version of the RSES is short, easy to administer, and comprehensible by the teenagers and can be used for the measurement of self-esteem in adolescents in Greece.

Self-esteem and binge eating: Do patients with binge eating disorder endorse more negatively worded items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?

OBJECTIVE: Self-esteem is a core aspect of eating disorder symptomatology. This study aims to examine whether method effects associated with negatively worded items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) may interact the negative self-evaluations experienced by patients with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED). We also examined whether negatively worded items were associated with psychological distress and eating symptoms. METHOD: Five hundred thirty three female outpatients (mean age: 42.59) with BED (n = 160) or obesity without BED (n = 373) completed the RSES and measures of interpersonal problems, psychological distress, and eating symptoms. RESULTS: Patients with BED responded more strongly to the negatively worded items of the RSES than those with obesity. The RSES negatively worded item factor was negatively associated with higher interpersonal problems, psychological distress, and binge eating. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with BED may be more responsive to negatively phrased items on the RSES consistent with their negative self-evaluations and self-perceptions.

Cosmetic camouflage improves health-related quality of life in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and permanent skin damage: A controlled intervention study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cosmetic camouflage in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and permanent facial skin damage. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled clinical trial (Universal Trial Number: U1111-1210-2554e) with SLE women from outpatients using ACR/1997 and/or SLICC/2012 criteria, aged over 18 years old, with modified SLEDAI 2k < 4 and permanent facial skin damage, recruited in two tertiary centers to use cosmetic camouflage (n = 36) or no intervention (n = 20). Endpoints were score variations in SLE Quality of Life (SLEQoL) (total and each domain), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Rosenberg self-esteem scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), after daily use of cosmetic camouflage for 12 +/-2 weeks (Phase I), "as needed" use of cosmetic camouflage for another 12 +/-2 weeks (Phase II), and during total follow up (24 +/-2 weeks). Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were conducted by protocol analysis. RESULTS: Both groups were similar at baseline regarding age, disease duration, socio-demographic, clinical, laboratory and treatment characteristics. The comparison of score variations between intervention and control groups showed an independent HRQoL improvement in total SLEQoL score after using cosmetic camouflage in Phase I [ß -27.56 (CI 95% -47.86 to -7.27) p = 0.009] and total follow up [ß -28.04 (CI 95% -48.65 to -7.44) p = 0.09], specifically in mood, self-image and physical functioning domains. Also, there was an improvement in DLQI scores during Phase I [ß -7.65 (CI 95% -12.31 to -3.00) p = 0.002] and total follow up [ß -8.97(CI95% -12.99 to -4.94) p < 0.001). Scores for depression [ß -1.92 (CI 95% -3.67 to -0.16) p = 0.033], anxiety [ß -2.87 (CI 95% -5.67 to -0.07] p = 0.045] and self-esteem [ß 2.79 (CI 95% 0.13 to 5.46) p = 0.041] improved considering the total follow up. No significant changes occurred in the control group scores. CONCLUSION: The use of cosmetic camouflage improved the HRQoL in female SLE patients with permanent facial skin damage.