Trends and Issues in the Self-Esteem of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Previous studies (N=41) on the self-esteem of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were reviewed, and future issues were investigated. The results of past studies examining the self-esteem level of ASD and typically developing individuals have been inconsistent. Individual differences in the self-esteem level of ASD individuals might be larger than those of typically developing individuals. Moreover, studies on the support for improving the self-esteem of ASD individuals have indicated that although various types of support have been provided, effective support methods have not been developed to date. For the clarification of the self-esteem of ASD individuals, the accumulation of studies on self-esteem from the perspectives of its “stability and level,” as well as its “contingency,” is required in the future. Furthermore, support for ASD children is crucial to prevent the decline in their self-esteem that starts from the upper grades of elementary school.