The Science of Self-Esteem and Why It Matters

Famed psychologist Abraham Maslow identified the various needs humans have and how those needs impact our ability to achieve our full potential. Healthy self-esteem, as represented in the fourth level of Maslow’s hierarchy, is a critical contributor to physical, mental, and spiritual health. Despite its importance, the health of our self-esteem often takes a back seat to other more popular traits such as ambition, intelligence, loyalty, resourcefulness, sensitivity, and social acumen. And yet, without high self-esteem, many positive traits are unattainable.[1] In fact, low self-esteem is directly linked to low social support, poor-quality relationships, and increased anxiety and depression.[2]

A 2019 study involving secondary school children found that low self-esteem was associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.[3] In addition, a 2021 clinical trial found that low self-compassion and low self-esteem strongly correlated with social anxiety.[4] A 2022 research review found that people with low self-esteem were more likely to have low school/work performance, poor mental and/or physical health, more anti-social behavior, and unhealthy social relationships compared to people with high self-esteem.[5]

The flip side is also true. High self-esteem is associated with more life satisfaction, resilience, happiness, meaning, and subjective vitality.[6,7]And the benefits of high self-esteem are cumulative and can have positive effects throughout a person’s lifespan.[5]

Enhancing self-esteem

While the science is clear that self-esteem matters, how to enhance self-esteem is not as clear or as simple as it may seem. If you or someone you love struggles with low self-esteem, here are some concepts to consider:[8]

• Let go of perfectionism.
• Encourage realistic self-perceptions.
• Have hope that a positive self-image is achievable.
• Understand the causes and consequences of low self-worth.
• Identify the origins of negative self-perceptions, thoughts, and self-judgements.
• Encourage social support to reduce isolation.

Cultivating healthy self-esteem may also require a consistent effort that utilizes tools to enhance self-compassion. For example, keeping a daily journal of the things that make you feel proud, peaceful, grateful, and successful help encourage higher self-esteem. Consider creating a list of positive characteristics and/or positive affirmations that you periodically review.

Even if you are not struggling with low self-esteem at this moment, it’s a good idea to check in from time to time to gauge how confident and self-assured you are feeling. Having self-esteem on your radar will help protect your mental, physical, and spiritual health.

The bottom line

Self-esteem is just one piece of the puzzle but it’s a much bigger piece than you may think. Yes, it will ebb and flow throughout a person’s lifetime, which is not the issue. Having it flow is one thing, having it forgotten is another. Let’s not forget the significance of self-esteem. Nurture it as if your quality of life depends on it…because it does.