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POINT OF VIEW Building Self-Confidence
The Demise of the Self-Esteem Movement
It is not uncommon to find "build self-esteem" as one of stated objectives in descriptive materials touting the benefits of park and recreation programs. The importance of building self-esteem, feeling good about oneself, has been promoted by many as an important objective not only of direct parenting but also of school and organized youth programs. A core assumption has been that children cannot learn and adjust properly in society unless they have a positive feeling about themselves. Low self-esteem has been attributed as being a major obstacle to success by racial minorities and others that did not adjust well in our society. The theory was that our society holds blacks and minorities back by imposing a low sense of self-worth. Many felt that positive consequences for all in our society would result if self-esteem levels could be raised. This feeling seems to be especially strong in people who received their college education 15 to 35 years ago when the self-esteem movement was at its zenith. But about 15 years ago, it began to become evident that research studies on the benefits of self-esteem were not confirming these suppositions. In fact, some studies showed just the opposite, that some of the problems with the youth of today might have derived from the self-esteem movement. Time magazine contributor Andrew Sullivan cites research indicating that the self-esteem of blacks is no lower than that of whites and is often quite higher. The results further show that self-esteem can be just as high in D students, drunk drivers, racists, street thugs and prison inmates as it is in Nobel laureates, nuns and New York firefighters. Increasing numbers of books and articles have noted these inconsistencies calling the whole self-esteem movement into question. Charles Sykes, author of Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good About Themselves but Can't Read, Write, or Add, writes that self-esteem had become "the Rosetta stone to human satisfaction, the one formula for social reconstruction and personal salvation." This is very evident in the "parenting" culture, the canon of socially correct instructions on parenting. "Helping your child grow up with strong self-esteem is the most important task of parenthood" say the experts on one parenting web site. Lauren Murphy Payne in her book Just Because I Am: a Child's Book of Affirmation writes: "Nothing is as important as self-esteem for a child's well-being and success" (cited by Hart). This book lists 50 ways for kids to take care of themselves like "get a hug" or "give yourself a hug" or "celebrate you." Of the 50 ways listed, 48 are self-centered, and only two have anything to do with anyone else. In a 1998 article in U.S. News and World Report, John Leo cites the work of psychologists Harold Stevenson and James Stigler, who tested the academic skills of elementary school students in the United States, China, Japan and Taiwan. The Asian students out performed the Americans, but the U.S. students felt better about themselves and their work. The American schools seemed to be more occupied with how the students view themselves rather than actual academic performance, resulting in a dumbing-down process. As a professor teaching in a university for over 40 years, I have observed increasing numbers of students with very high opinions of themselves (self-esteem) who are deficient in knowledge that should be expected of college students and who lack the drive to accomplish significant work objectives. Unfortunately, many do not understand their shortcomings. Throughout their school years they have been told how wonderful they were, were given high grades because it made them feel good and were made to feel they could do no wrong. When now faced with low grades in the university for mediocre classroom performance, some students rise to the task, but many others are deeply offended and want to criticize the university, the course, the professor or anyone else, but certainly not themselves. The results are pressures that have been a factor in university grade inflation as some professors have become exhausted with dealing with such students. I have been in many meetings at which fellow faculty members have raised concerns about the academic deficiencies of new students and hoped that this would not result in an eventual dumbing-down of university courses and curricula. In 2002, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that college students are spending less time studying than they used to. The increasing evidence disputes the basic assumptions that high self-esteem is a characteristic only of well-adjusted individuals contributing to society. The Social Importance of Self-Esteem, a book of essays published in 1989, contains the line: "One of the disappointing aspects of every chapter in this volume is how low the association between self-esteem and its consequences are in research to date" (cited by Leo). A basic problem with self-esteem is that it is based on feelings of privilege and entitlement. It is not based on knowledge or having any experience with something. Thus, with the accumulating negative research, the trend in the past decade or so has been away from self-esteem towards terms that impart experience and knowledge. Self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-efficacy are such terms. All three of them are good. I happen to prefer self-confidence. All impart that it is through knowledge and experience gained in study and education that 44 | Illinois Parks and Recreation BUIIDING SELF-CONFIDENCE a person gains the confidence to become a good student or worker, to relate well with others or to perform the other survival skills needed in our complex society. Notwithstanding the above, my experiences lead me to believe that there may be one situation where the goal to build self-esteem might be appropriate to be included as a program component, and that is in therapeutic recreation designed especially for the seriously disabled. But they too need the knowledge and understanding that comes from building self-confidence. I propose, with the possible caveat noted above, that "building self-esteem" be eliminated and "building self-confidence" or a similar term be used as an objective of park and recreation programs. Although many have already done this, the word self-esteem keeps arising, and the self-esteem movement is not dying easily. Many park and recreation personnel, now in the middle years of their careers, were educated in the zenith years of the self-esteem movement, and unlearning something is difficult. In fact, the concept of self-esteem is so deeply ingrained that I suspect there are some who might be outraged by this essay. I believe we should focus on the positive signs that influence our thinking as more research results become available. Change is occurring. For example, a large majority of park district information brochures no longer mention self-esteem. A recent United Fund TV commercial talked about building self-confidence in youth. Perusal of the ads for summer youth camps in the Chicago newspapers found ones promising to "improve grades, motivation and confidence" and "increase self-reliance," but none mentioned building self-esteem. We can learn. Our society needs the very best out of people, and programs for youth should be contributory in the best way toward that end. Building self-confidence will help accomplish that purpose.
DR. BRUCE L. IARSON
July/August 2003 | 45 |
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