Through a glass, less darkly? Reassessing convergent and divergent validity in measures of implicit self-esteem

Self-esteem has been traditionally assessed via self-report (explicit self-esteem: ESE). However, the limitations of self-report have prompted efforts to assess self-esteem indirectly (implicit self-esteem: ISE). It has been theorized that ISE and ESE reflect the operation of largely distinct mental systems. However, although low correlations between measures of ISE and ESE empirically support their discriminant validity, similarly low correlations between different measures of ISE do not support their convergent validity. We explored whether such patterns would reemerge if more recently developed, specific, and reliable ISE measures were used. They did, although some convergent validity among ISE measures emerged once confounds resulting from conceptual mismatch, individual differences, and random variability were minimized. Nonetheless, low correlations among ISE measures are not primarily caused by the usual psychometric suspects, and may be the result of other factors including subtle differences between structural features of such measures

Extending the Implicit Association Test (IAT): Assessing Consumer Attitudes Based on Multi-Dimensional Implicit Associations

Background: The authors present a procedural extension of the popular Implicit Association Test (IAT; [1]) that allows for indirect measurement of attitudes on multiple dimensions (e.g., safe–unsafe; young–old; innovative–conventional, etc.) rather than on a single evaluative dimension only (e.g., good–bad). Methodology/Principal Findings: In two within-subjects studies, attitudes toward three automobile brands were measured on six attribute dimensions. Emphasis was placed on evaluating the methodological appropriateness of the new procedure, providing strong evidence for its reliability, validity, and sensitivity. Conclusions/Significance: This new procedure yields detailed information on the multifaceted nature of brand associations that can add up to a more abstract overall attitude. Just as the IAT, its multi-dimensional extension/application (dubbed md-IAT) is suited for reliably measuring attitudes consumers may not be consciously aware of, able to express, or willing to share with the researcher [2,3].Product Innovation ManagementIndustrial Design Engineerin

Exploring the Role of Explicit and Implicit Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion in Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology Following Acquired Brain Injury

[EN] Objectives Acquired brain injury (ABI) can lead to the emergence of several disabilities and is commonly associated with high rates of anxiety and depression symptoms. Self-related constructs, such as self-esteem and self-compassion, might play a key role in this distressing symptomatology. Low explicit (i.e., deliberate) self-esteem is associated with anxiety and depression after ABI. However, implicit (i.e., automatic) self-esteem, explicit-implicit self-discrepancies, and self-compassion could also significantly contribute to this symptomatology. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether implicit self-esteem, explicit-implicit self-discrepancy (size and direction), and self-compassion are related to anxious and depressive symptoms after ABI in adults, beyond the contribution of explicit self-esteem. Methods The sample consisted 38 individuals with ABI who were enrolled in a long-term rehabilitation program. All participants completed the measures of explicit self-esteem, implicit self-esteem, self-compassion, anxiety, and depression. Pearson's correlations and hierarchical regression models were calculated. Results Findings showed that both self-compassion and implicit self-esteem negatively accounted for unique variance in anxiety and depression when controlling for explicit self-esteem. Neither the size nor direction of explicit-implicit self-discrepancy was significantly associated with anxious or depressive symptomatology. Conclusions The findings suggest that the consideration of self-compassion and implicit self-esteem, in addition to explicit self-esteem, contributes to understanding anxiety and depression following ABI.Lorena Desdentado is supported by a FPU doctoral scholarship (FPU18/01690) from the Spanish Ministry of Universities. This work was supported by CIBEROBN, an initiative of the ISCIII (ISC III CB06 03/0052).Desdentado, L.; Cebolla, A.; Miragall, M.; Llorens Rodríguez, R.; Navarro, MD.; Baños, RM. (2021). Exploring the Role of Explicit and Implicit Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion in Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology Following Acquired Brain Injury. Mindfulness. 12(4):899-910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01553-wS899910124Anson, K., & Ponsford, J. (2006). Coping and emotional adjustment following traumatic brain injury. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 21(3), 248–259. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001199-200605000-00005.Baños, R. M., & Guillén, V. (2000). Psychometric characteristics in normal and social phobic samples for a Spanish version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Psychological Reports, 87(1), 269–274. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2000.87.1.269.Beadle, E. J., Ownsworth, T., Fleming, J., & Shum, D. (2016). 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Implicit and explicit self-esteem discrepancies in people with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Abstract PURPOSE: Self-esteem (SE), or one's sense of competence and worth, is reduced in many mental and physical disorders. Low SE is associated with perceived stigma and disability and poor treatment outcomes. The present study examined implicit and explicit SE (automatic and deliberate views about the self) in people with epilepsy and people with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs). Discrepancies between implicit SE and explicit SE have been found to correlate with psychological distress in disorders often associated with PNESs but are relatively unexplored in PNESs. We hypothesized that, compared with epilepsy, PNESs would be associated with lower self-reported SE and greater discrepancies between implicit SE and explicit SE. METHODS: Thirty adults with PNESs, 25 adults with epilepsy, and 31 controls without a history of seizures were asked to complete the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale as a measure of explicit SE and an Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure as a measure of implicit SE. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (a somatic symptom inventory) were also administered. RESULTS: We found significant group differences in explicit (p<0.001) but not implicit SE. Patients with PNESs reported lower SE than the other groups. No group differences were found in implicit SE. Implicit-explicit SE discrepancies were larger in the group with PNESs than in the other groups (p<0.001). Higher frequency of PNESs (but not epileptic seizures) was associated with lower explicit SE (rs=-.83, p<0.01) and greater SE discrepancies (i.e., lower explicit relative to implicit SE; rs=.65, p<0.01). These relationships remained significant when controlling for anxiety and somatization. CONCLUSION: Patients with PNESs had lower explicit SE than those with epilepsy or healthy controls. In keeping with our expectations, there were greater discrepancies between implicit SE and explicit SE among patients with PNESs than in the other groups. Our results, including the strong relationship between PNES frequency, anxiety, and explicit-implicit SE discrepancies, support the interpretation that PNESs serve to reduce cognitive dissonance, perhaps protecting patients' implicit SE

Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Self-Esteem: Measurement Issues and Relations to Health and Defensiveness

Die Dissertation besteht aus einem Einleitungsteil sowie drei empirischen Zeitschriftenartikeln. Die Einleitung liefert den theoretischen Hintergrund, integriert die drei Zeitschriftenartikel und geht auf anknüpfende Forschungsfragen ein. Der erste Artikel befasst sich mit unterschiedlichen indirekten Messverfahren zur Erfassung impliziter Selbstwertschätzung und untersucht deren Reliabilität sowie konvergente und diskriminante Validität. Der zweite Artikel untersucht, wie Diskrepanzen zwischen impliziter und expliziter Selbstwertschätzung mit defensiven Reaktionen auf soziales Feedback zusammenhängen. Der dritte Artikel untersucht schließlich Zusammenhänge zwischen Selbstwertdiskrepanzen und Indikatoren psychischer und physischer Gesundheit.The dissertation consists of an introduction and three empirical journal articles. The introduction gives the theoretical background, integrates the three journal articles, and elaborates on future research questions. The first article investigates the reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of implicit self-esteem measures. The second article examines, how discrepancies between implicit and explicit self-esteem are connected to defensive reactions to social feedback. The third article investigates the relationship of self-esteem discrepancies to indicators of mental and physical health

Prosocial behavior as a protective factor against peers’ acceptance of aggression in the development of aggressive behavior in childhood and adolescence

Preprint and supplemental material to the manuscript "Prosocial behavior as a protective factor against peers’ acceptance of aggression in the development of aggressive behavior in childhood and adolescence"