The development of female self-esteem across the lifespan : a qualitative study

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to grasp a detailed understanding on the development of self-esteem in females, through personal experiences across the lifespan. Five females, whose ages ranged from adolescence to adulthood, participated in semi-structured interviews with the aim of providing satisfactory knowledge in answering the research question at hand; “How does female self-esteem develop across the lifespan?” Data were interpreted within a humanisticexistential perspective, and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Six superordinate themes emerged; (1) Self-esteem is the way “you see yourself”; (2) Self-esteem is influenced by what others think, do or say; (3) Awareness/ Thinking about self-esteem starts in adolescence; (4) Coping mechanisms are an important aspect of self-esteem; (5) Self-esteem improves with age because coping skills meliorate and (6) One’s self-esteem is “part of who I am.” The participants’ recollections indicated that self-esteem becomes salient in adolescence and its stability improves, through improved coping mechanisms, decreased influence of peer pressure, and an increased sense of accomplishment, with age. This study attempts to inform professionals, within helping occupations, to work towards elevating female self-esteem for better healthy living.