Self-esteem and negative affect

Abstract

It was hypothesized that the Profile of Mood States (bipolar form) measures two higher-order dimensions: Positive and Negative Affect. It also was conjectured that subjects low in self-esteem report more Negative Affect than those high in self-esteem. POMS and the Self-Attitude Inventory were administered to 102 high school students. A principal component analysis of the 12 half-scale scores of POMS isolated the two affect dimensions postulated. Tests also showed that subjects low in Confidence report significantly greater Negative Affect than subjects high in Confidence. Thus, the Watson-Tellegen theory of affect is supported, and Negative Affect is linked to self-esteem.