A Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry Into the Relationship Between Self
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A Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Coping Processes of University Students Pauline Hartigan O’Reilly MA(Ed), BSc Supervisors Professor Claire W Lyons Professor John Breen Submitted in accordance with the academic requirements for the Degree of PhD in Education, Mary Immaculate College, September, 2011 ABSTRACT University life brings with it many stressful events, which place varying demands on students. During this time many students leave home for the first time, have a new found social life, a part- time job and also have to contend with the academic expectations associated with third level education. Some individuals are able to deal more readily with these stresses than others. This study set out to identify the relationship between levels of self-esteem and coping processes, utilised by students, with factors such as, age, gender, university programme and the year of programme from an Irish perspective. The research design followed an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Design. The study comprised of two phases, phase one quantitative followed by phase two qualitative on a study group of 1200 students, 300 chosen randomly from each annual cohort of University of Limerick undergraduates. Using a cross-sectional correlational design, two published questionnaires namely Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Folkman and Lazarus Ways of Coping Questionnaire plus a demographic questionnaire were posted to the selected students. A descriptive qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews with eight students, was used to augment and further explain the quantitative findings arising from phase one of the study. The response rate was 40% (n = 479). The quantitative data were analysed using both parametric and non-parametric methods. Significant associations were found between self-esteem and coping; self-esteem and gender; coping and age; coping and year of university programme, as well as coping and programme title. Using thematic analysis, the quantitative findings were further explored in phase two of the study. The arising themes were the Experiences of Stress, Social Supports and Coping, and Explaining Self-Esteem and Gender and these are discussed in the light of the quantitative results. The conclusions and findings from both phases of the study are discussed collectively and a range of recommendations, including policy implications and topics for further research, are provided. -i- DECLARATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis and that it has not been submitted for any other academic award. References and acknowledgements have been made, where necessary, to the work of others. Signature: Date: _______________________ ___________________ Pauline Hartigan O’Reilly -ii- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere gratitude to my two supervisors, Professor Claire Lyons and Professor John Breen, for their continuous guidance, support and encouragement over the last five years. Thank you Claire, for your constructive and insightful reports and advice on my work, making the entire process a much valued and appreciated learning experience. John, thank you for imparting with enthusiasm, your statistical knowledge and practical advice which were highly valued and greatly cherished. To all the students in the University of Limerick who participated in my study, my sincere gratitude. To my friends and colleagues, in the Nursing and Midwifery Department, in the University of Limerick, for their continued support and encouragement. To Mary, Anna, Helen, Deirdre, Mary, Rita, Martina and Therese my wonderful friends, whom I am privileged to have, thank you so much for your unrelenting encouragement and love. To my nieces Eimear and Sine and my nephew Matthew for your support and love. To Mam, Dad and Miriam who are no longer around thank you for everything, you are always with me. Your words of love and wisdom, Mir, are always in my heart. Finally I wish to express my love and gratitude to my husband Paudie and treasured daughter Siobhán for their consistent support and encouragement throughout this study. -iii- TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................I DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..........................................................................................................................III TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................................IV LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................I LIST OF FIGURES .....................................................................................................................................V LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................................VII CHAPTER1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF........................................................................................... 6 2.1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................6 2.2. SELF‐CONCEPT...........................................................................................................................................6 2.3. INFANCY ...................................................................................................................................................9 2.3.1. Self‐Recognition...........................................................................................................................10 2.3.2. Attachment and Parenting ..........................................................................................................13 2.4. EARLY CHILDHOOD ...................................................................................................................................18 2.4.1. Attachment and Parenting ..........................................................................................................20 2.5. MIDDLE CHILDHOOD.................................................................................................................................21 2.5.1. Attachment and Parenting ..........................................................................................................22 2.5.2. Peers and Friends.........................................................................................................................24 2.6. ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD ......................................................................................................26 2.6.1. Attachment and Parenting ..........................................................................................................31 2.6.2. Peers and Friends.........................................................................................................................35 2.7. CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................................................................37 CHAPTER3. SELF‐ESTEEM ...................................................................................................................... 39 -iv- 3.1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 39 3.2. DEFINING SELF‐ESTEEM ............................................................................................................................ 41 3.2.1. Self‐Esteem and Competencies ................................................................................................... 41 3.2.2. Self‐Esteem and The ‘Looking Glass Theory’............................................................................... 45 3.2.3. Self‐Esteem and Humanism ........................................................................................................ 46 3.2.4. Self‐Esteem and Rosenberg......................................................................................................... 50 3.2.5. Global and Domain Specific Self‐esteem..................................................................................... 53 3.3. THE ROSENBERG SELF‐ESTEEM SCALE .......................................................................................................... 56 3.4. LEVELS OF SELF–ESTEEM THROUGH THE YEARS ............................................................................................. 58 3.5. GLOBAL AND DOMAIN SPECIFIC SELF‐ESTEEM LEVELS AND GENDER .................................................................. 64 3.6. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESS, COPING AND SELF‐ESTEEM AMONGST UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ....................... 70 3.7. CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER4. STRESS AND COPING........................................................................................................... 77 4.1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................