Low self-esteem: a refined cognitive behavioural model

Abstract

Melanie Fennell’s (1997) seminal cognitive approach to low self-esteem was published in Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. The current paper proposes a refined model, drawing on social theories, and research with people with socially devalued characteristics. This model emphasises how self-esteem relates to perceptions of one’s value in the eyes of others. It is proposed that core beliefs typical of low self-esteem relate to one’s value in relation to personal adequacy (e.g. having worth or status) and/or to social connection (e.g. being liked, loved, accepted or included). In each of these value domains, beliefs about both the self (e.g. ‘I am a failure’, ‘I am unlovable’) and others (e.g. ‘Others look down on me’, ‘Others don’t care about me’) are considered important. The model suggests that everyone monitors their value but in people with low self-esteem, cognitive biases associated with underlying beliefs occur. In the context of trigger situations, this results in a greater likelihood of negative appraisals of perceived threat to one’s value. Such appraisals activate underlying negative beliefs, resulting in negative mood (e.g. low mood, anxiety, shame, disgust) and other responses that maintain low self-esteem. Responses which can be used excessively or in unhelpful ways include (a) corrective behaviours; (b) compensatory strategies; (c) increased value monitoring; (d) safety-seeking behaviours; (e) rumination; (f) unhelpful mood regulation responses. These responses can adversely impact daily functioning or health, having the counterproductive effect of maintaining negative beliefs about one’s value. Examples are provided for low self-esteem in lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals.

Seeing oneself as an unattractive loser: Similar interpretation and memory biases in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and adolescents with depression or anxiety

“…More general characteristics, that is, low self‐esteem and high depression symptoms, were predictors for non‐ED‐related biases. Of note, low self‐esteem was a significant predictor of both, ED‐ and non‐ED‐related biases, suggesting that it may play a central role in explaining negative interpretation and memory biases for self‐referent information, in line with Rimes et al.’s (2023) model that suggests people with low self‐esteem to be particularly characterised by cognitive biases. So the regression analyses revealed some specificity by showing that EDR and NED bias scores were explained by the conceptually matching participant characteristics, suggesting them to represent different biases associated to different facets of psychopathology.…”

Current Effect of Mother-Child Memory Talk on Emotion Regulation, Self-Esteem, and Memory

“…As a result, such confidence in themselves might result in experiencing negative affect differently than individuals with low self-esteem. Differential functioning of some cognitive processes for people with low and high self-esteem may be responsible here (Rimes et al, 2023). To illustrate, the study of Smith and Petty (1995) stated that individuals with high selfesteem tend to have different cognitions, such as recalling and thinking of less negative and more positive information, even when manipulated to deduce negative affect.…”

Acceptability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a compassion‐based cognitive behavioural intervention for low self‐esteem in sexual minority young adults

“…Self-criticism and shame are proposed to have key roles in maintaining low self-esteem in cognitive behavioural models (e.g. Fennell, 1997;Rimes et al, 2023). CFT might therefore be beneficial for sexual minority young adults, who tend to experience high levels of shame and internalised stigma (Hatzenbuehler, 2009;Meyer, 2003;).…”