T HE S ELF - ESTEEM FALLACY Erika Koelsch. OVERVIEW What is Self-Esteem? Self-Esteem and Behavior Analysis Classic Thinking about Self-Esteem The Self-Esteem.

THE SELF-ESTEEM FALLACY

Erika Koelsch

OVERVIEW

What is Self-Esteem? Self-Esteem and Behavior Analysis Classic Thinking about Self-Esteem The Self-Esteem Fallacy The National Preoccupation with Self-Esteem Solutions A Case Study Results and Conclusions

WHAT IS SELF ESTEEM?

Self-Esteem and the “social self” (p. 101)

Brown (1993)

Self-Esteem as a delusion

The educational model

Is self-esteem a fad? Pseudoscience?

SELF ESTEEM AND BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Self-Esteem is NOT a behavioral concept

Why? Not objectively defined Cannot be measured No empirical evidence Not based on reinforcement contingencies

Or is it?

CLASSIC THINKING ABOUT SELF-ESTEEM

Perception of parents and caregivers Risk for various psychological or emotional

disturbances Ego functioning, control and overall wellbeing

Psychologists Embracing the Self-Esteem ideal No evidence Lack of effective behavioral change The Self-Esteem Fallacy

THE SELF-ESTEEM FALLACY

Psychologists’ Emphasis Psychologist’s

Responsibility Branden (1994)

All psychological problems are rooted in low self-esteem

The California Task Force on the Importance of Self-Esteem Science based approach Correlation between

behavior and self esteem

THE NATIONAL PREOCCUPATION WITH SELF-ESTEEM Baumeister et al. (1994)

“In our view, America is not suffering from low self-esteem. It suffers from a spreading epidemic of self regulation failure.”

Self-esteem vs. Good Character Childhood behavior results in Adult behavior

Is this a behavioral perspective? Self-esteem can play a role

Must be objective Establish reinforcement contingencies for

dangerous and disruptive behaviors rooted in high self-esteem

Must have behavior change to cause socially significant changes in life

SOLUTIONS

Dawes (1994) “What constitutes a good

life? What types of behavior are desirable? How should people feel about the world?”

Focus on environmental and circumstantial causes

How do our learners’ relate to these above concepts? Or do they?

SOLUTIONS CONT. Schools

Continue to have programs illustrating importance of self-esteem

Hunter (2000) stated that school-based programs grounded in ideals to not engage in disruptive or “bad” behavior solely based on the effects these behaviors will have on self-esteem alone

A CASE STUDY

SELF-ESTEEM/INCLUSION ILLUSIONA CASE STUDY 10-year-old boy Were needs being met?

FAPE in regular education classroom? Behavior and Symptoms

Aggressive Took food from others Nonverbal Not toilet trained

Placement Regular education through elementary school with pull-out

special education services (until 3rd grade) throughout day and a one-to-one aide

Contention Parents did not want child in resource room District stated they could not provide FAPE and meet needs of

child in regular education setting Major Case Consideration

Parents, inclusion expert, and various attorney’s stated that boy’s self-esteem was much higher while in regular education setting

SELF-ESTEEM/INCLUSION ILLUSIONA CASE STUDY Original Inclusion Plan- Included the following

headlines Inclusion Builds Self-Esteem and Acceptance

Buzzwords: Heighten feelings of acceptance, take ownership (e.g., the teacher takes ownership of student to make part of classroom community), Would not be velcroed to his aide, classmates would perceive the boy as a classmate instead of an outsider.

Inclusion Must Be Maintained at All Costs to Prevent a Loss of Self-Esteem

Buzzwords: Once boy was accepted, classmates would “tolerate” problem behavior, and he should remain in the classroom during problem behavior unless resulting in lack of ability for students to work.

The More Opportunities for Inclusion, the More Approaches the Service Delivery and the Greater Opportunity to Raise Self-Esteem

Buzzwords: Boy should participate and receive equal opportunities in classroom as other students.

Oh, and this builds self-esteem too Inclusion is Learner Centered and Builds Self-Esteem

Curriculum is designed to have boy have positive experiences in school, thus, increasing self-esteem.

OTHER RESULTS Autism specialist

Placement was not appropriate for boy’s behaviors and learning needs

Author’s report Not motivated Aide did not assist in

curricular work, but prevented or stopped disruptive behavior or stereotypy

Raised question: How much valuable teaching has been lost in the last 5 years?

No measure of higher self-esteem in regular education Why?

IN CONCLUSION…

Self-Esteem vs Self-Respect

Is self-esteem a fad?

ANY QUESTIONS?

REFERENCES Baumeister, R.F., Smart, L., &Boden, J.M. (1996). Relation of

threatened egotism to violence and aggression: The dark side of high self-esteem. Psychological Review, 103(1), 5-33.

Brown, J.D. (1993). Self-esteem and self-evaluation: Feeling is believing. In J. Suls (Ed.), Psychological perspectives on the self (Vol. 4, pp. 27-58). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Dawes, R.M. (1994). House of cards: Psychology and psychotherapy built on myth. New York: Free Press

Hunter, J.D. (2000). The death of character. New York: Basic Books.

Jacobson, J. W., Foxx, R. M., & Mulick, J. A. (2005). The Self-Esteem Fallacy. In Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities; Fad, Fashion, and Science in Professional Practice (pp. 101-112). New York: Psychology Press.

Smelser, N. (1989). Self-esteem and social problems: An introduction. In A.M. Mecca, N.J. Smelser, & J.Vasconcellos (Eds.), The social important of self-esteem (pp.294-326). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.