Student Self-Esteem and the School System: Perceptions and Implications

Abstract

Abstract K-12 school personnel appear to have an impact on student self-esteem. In addition, most self-esteem programs used in the schools have historically consisted of superficial activities; thus, self-esteem is seldom addressed at a conceptual level. In order to do so, school personnel need to understand their own attitudes about self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine similarities and differences in perceptions of school administrators, counselors, and teachers about student self-esteem and explore further how each group perceives their own and the other two groups' impact on student self-esteem. Participants were selected from a stratified random sample of K-12 school administrators, counselors, and teachers. Each of these groups completed a survey that addressed perceptions of student self-esteem and impact of school personnel on student self-esteem. Data yielded noteworthy similarities and differences in school personnel's perceptions of student self-esteem as well as statistical significance regarding perceptions of the impact of school personnel on student self-esteem.