Wc. Torrey et al., Self-esteem as an outcome measure in studies of vocational rehabilitation for adults with severe mental illness, PSYCH SERV, 51(2), 2000, pp. 229-233
Objective: Self-esteem is widely used as an outcome variable in studies of
psychiatric rehabilitation, based on the assumption that improved functiona
l status leads to higher self-esteem. Little is known, however, about the d
eterminants of self-esteem among adults with severe mental illness. The uti
lity of a popular measure of global self-esteem-the Rosenberg Self-Esteem S
cale-as an outcome measure was examined in this population. Methods: A tota
l of 143 participants enrolled in a study of vocational rehabilitation were
assessed at baseline and six, 12, and 18 months later using measures of se
lf-esteem, symptoms, life satisfaction, work status, housing status, and to
tal income. Results: Scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale did not vary
with work status or other functional outcomes but instead were strongly re
lated to measures of life satisfaction and affective symptoms. Conclusions:
The hypothesis that working leads to improved self-esteem for people with
severe mental illness was not supported. For this population, self-esteem,
as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, appears to be a relatively
stable trait that reflects general life satisfaction and affective symptoms
rather than objective functional status.