Self-Esteem Enhancement Theory

The Self-Esteem Enhancement theory is one of many theories focusing on the individual in promoting health as opposed to ones that are focused on social, cultural, and/or environmental aspects of health.  This theory works on the basis that a person’s overall health, both physical and mental, and wellbeing has a direct correlation with their self-esteem or sense of self-worth.  By boosting one’s self-esteem, results show that the positive feelings created to facilitate a psychological state that promotes positive health.  It is for this reason that there is such a large focus on providing resources and supports to people of all age groups in raising their self-esteem.  The theory has five major components: “(a) contextual opportunities: (b) esteem formation and maintenance processes; (c) self-esteem; (d) health and well-being; and (c) modifying influences (DiClemente, 2009, 98).  

This theory is similar to theories that do not focus on the individual based on all the factors that must be considered and addressed.  While self-esteem may be an inherently individual aspect of a person, there are many social, cultural, and environmental factors such as gender stereotypes that influence a person’s self-esteem that must be addressed in tandem with the individual’s own personal obstacles.  Three of the five components of self-esteem enhancement theory are related to addressing outside influences, just like theories that primarily focus on these external aspects of health.  However, it is still different from these theories in that the main focus is just on improving the individual’s health through their self-esteem.  This can, and will, mean that each person will need to address different things, be them individual or external, as well as require different approaches to improving their self-esteem than any other individual.  Other theories may research unhealthy patterns but make solutions on a wide scale rather than one tailor-made for specific a specific individual’s health.

Reference

DiClemente, R. J. (2009). Emerging theories in health promotion practice and research (2nd ed., pp. 98-99). San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass.