Actual Situation of Self-esteem for Japanese Primary, Junior High, and High School Students—Difference by Gender and Grade—

Abstract

[Conditions and Purpose]

The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual situation of “Basic Self Esteem” and “Social Self Esteem” of primary, junior high, and high school students in Japan. “Basic Self Esteem” means “good enough,” and “Social Self Esteem” means “very good” affection (Rosenberg, 1965).

[Methods]

The participants consist of 452 males and 425 females from three primary schools, 1,180 males and 1,158 females from seven junior high schools, and 1,278 males and 1,319 females from five high schools. The method used was the Social and Basic Self Esteem Test (“SOBA-SET”) developed by Kondo (2010), which was used to measure self-esteem.

[Result]

Regarding social self-esteem, females scored significantly higher than males in all grades from fourth grade primary school to third-year high school students. For basic self-esteem, males scored significantly higher than females in all grades from first-year junior high school to third-year high school. In a comparative analysis of different grades for males, sixth-grade primary school students scored significantly higher than first-grade junior high school students. Moreover, second-grade junior high school students scored significantly higher than third-grade junior high school students. In a comparative analysis of different grades for females, sixth-grade primary school students scored significantly higher than first-grade junior high school students.

[Discussion/Conclusion]

This study clarified that there were some gender differences and grade differences in self-esteem. Furthermore, the factors behind the results can be considered as the influence of gender differences from interpersonal features, social and cultural gender differences in Japan, the environmental changes in entering junior high schools, and gender differences against such stresses.