Marina Fortes

The Dynamics of Self-Esteem in Adults Over a 6-Month Period: An Exploratory Study

In this exploratory study, the authors examined the dynamics of self-esteem in 8 adults over a 6-month period. Each participant (M age = 29.4 years, SD = 7.9, SEM = 2.8) completed a single item from the Physical Self Inventory (G. Ninot, M. Fortes, & D. Delignières, 2001) using a 10-cm visual analog scale (horizontal line), twice a day between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. and between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. Time series analyses, including autocorrelation and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) procedures, showed that global self-esteem dynamics were neither stable, stationary, nor random. The ARIMA procedures indicated that this perceived dimension functioned as a moving average (0, 1, 1) without a significant constant, thus suggesting a short-term dynamic adjustment. This pattern is a typical signature of a complex system submitted to several constraints and not an indication of personality trait or state.

Validation of a shortened assessment of physical self in adults.

The purpose was to adapt a brief tool, the Physical Self Inventory-Version b, for the assessment of physical self in adults. The inventory is a refined version of the previously validated version, which was derived from the Physical Self Inventory (25 items). This French validation of the Physical Self-Perception Profile of Fox and Corbin includes a global self-esteem scale. As in the earlier version the current one has 6 single items to assess dimensions of global self-esteem, physical self-worth, sport competence, physical condition, attractive body, and physical strength. Rating is performed on a visual analog scale. Items in the new inventory were stated in the first person and in more general terms to be acceptable to a wider range of subjects. An item of measurement error was added. Analysis of responses of 185 men and 148 women to the new version supported the hierarchical structure. Significant correlations between the scores and constructs like masculinity, neuroticism, and depression indicated external validity. The new inventory showed acceptable psychometric properties for use in idiographic studies.

The hierarchical structure of the physical self: An idiographic and cross‐correlational analysis

Abstract This study investigated the hierarchical structure of global self‐esteem and physical self over time by focusing on intra‐individual dynamics. Although the hierarchical model has been studied and validated from a nomothetic point of view, validation from an idiographic approach is important as well to demonstrate its maintenance within individuals, since its functioning depends on individual and dynamic processes. Eleven participants (mean age: 33.9 years ( 15.0) completed a short version of the Physical Self Inventory on home computers twice a day (between 7:00 and 9:00 and 19:00 and 21:00) over a three‐month period. This inventory included six scales: global self‐esteem, physical self‐worth, physical condition, sport competence, physical strength, and attractive body. Cross‐correlational and partial cross‐correlational analyses were performed at the individual level for the collected time series. The results validated the hierarchical structure of the physical self in most participants and thus confirmed the nomothetic validation procedures. This study showed that global self‐esteem and physical self‐worth present individual hierarchical structure over time. It further demonstrated that an idiographic approach provides a potent means to better understand the functioning of psychological constructs such as physical self.