Understanding Self-Esteem and Its Measurement

The traditional measurement of self-esteem has been flawed, as demonstrated by studies in maximum security prisons where the most violent criminals showed the highest levels of self-esteem. This has raised questions about whether self-esteem is being measured accurately or if it is actually measuring narcissism. The distinction between self-esteem and narcissism is complex and difficult to answer. The concept of self-esteem and its measurement has improved over the past few decades, but there are still significant doubts about its historical measurement and implementation. A more effective way to measure self-esteem is to ask individuals how they feel about the negative aspects of themselves. High self-esteem individuals accept their flaws and strive to improve, while those with low self-esteem have a negative relationship with their worst aspects, and narcissistic individuals refuse to acknowledge any negative qualities. Some recent researchers have adopted this approach, considering it a much better way to understand and measure self-esteem.