1st Edition
Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan Issues and Interventions
As long as clinicians write “increase self-esteem” on treatment plans without knowing precisely what that means, there is a need for information on the construct of self-esteem and how its many components can have an effect on outcomes. This text defines self-esteem, describes its history and evolution, discusses its controversies, and presents information on intervention strategies that can make a difference when it receives clinical attention. Principles and concepts are applied to various clinical concerns faced by clients in each of the five developmental life stages: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, midlife, and late life. Book chapters discuss a variety of specific issues– such as child trauma and abuse, ADHD, body image and eating disorders, at-risk adolescents, African American youth, sexuality in young adulthood, alcohol and other drugs issues, lesbians and gay men at midlife, career development, intergenerational conflict in Asian Americans, and loss in late life – and offer detailed strategies for the development and enhancement of self-esteem. Also included is an example of an 8-week self-esteem enhancement program.
Part I: Introduction Guindon, What is Self-Esteem? Guindon, What Do We Know About Self-Esteem Interventions? Part II: Childhood: Introduction. Green, Kolos, Facilitating Self-Esteem in Elementary School-aged Children: A Child-centered Play Therapy Approach. Burke, Pilecki, The Effects of Intrafamilial Trauma on Self-Esteem Development. Mellin, Children of Families Affected by a Parental Mental Illness. Muratori, Fostering Healthy Self-Esteem in Gifted and Talented Children. Part III: Adolescence: Introduction. Richman, Hope, Mihalas, Assessment and Treatment of Self-Esteem in Adolescents with ADHD. Smith, Body Image, Eating Disorders and Self-Esteem Problems During Adolescence. Crenshaw, Lee, At-risk Adolescents: Self-Esteem, Youth Violence, and Teen Pregnancy. Bailey, Bradbury-Bailey, Promoting the Self-Esteem of African American Adolescent Boys. Herlihy, Watson, Issues of African American Girls. Part IV: Early Adulthood: Introduction. Hunt, Young Women and Self-Esteem. Giordano, Rush, Self-Esteem and Sexuality: An Exploration of Differentiation and Attachment. Hunt, Guindon, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Addiction in Young Adults. Part V: Midlife: Introduction. Whitman, Lesbians and Gay Men at Midlife. Niles, Jacob, Nichols, Career Development Issues in Midlife. Brickwedde, Chronic Health Issues. Part VI: Late Life: Introduction. Richmond, Guindon, Self-Esteem and the Third Phase of Life. Kim, Park, Asian American Elders in the US Culture. Gladding, Martin, Creativity and Self-Esteem Later in Life. Part VII: Conclusion. Guindon, Summary and Implications for the Future. Appendix A: Resources. Appendix B: Example of a Group Self-Esteem Intervention Program.
Biography
Mary H. Guindon
"Self-esteem luminary Mary Guindon and her all-star cast of experts deliver the definitive guide to understanding and enhancing self-esteem across the lifespan. Theoretically comprehensive yet clinically focused, this is instantly the seminal guidebook for researchers, educators, and practitioners interested in the essential role of self-esteem in mental health. This remarkable resource will clearly guide the work of practitioners who are serious about self-esteem interventions in diverse clients from childhood through late-life. It is the first and only book to offer comprehensive self-esteem interventions for clients impacted by problems as wide-ranging as parental mental illness, body image, ADHD, and trauma. Each chapter is concise, theoretically grounded, and chock-full of illustrative case examples." - W. Brad Johnson, PhD, Professor of Psychology, United States Naval Academy, USA
"Positive self-esteem is considered a sine qua non of healthy personality in the trajectory of human development. Dr. Mary Guindon has assembled an elite group of nationally and internationally known leading scholars to produce a definitive and monumental textbook on self esteem that is certain to become a classic resource for both the novice and the experienced counselor. It covers a wide range of topics with special focus on the self-esteem issues of special populations. A remarkable blending of didactic and experiential exercises with current research findings, case examples, and enhancement strategies makes this book a shining star in the galaxy of counseling literature." - Daya Singh Sandhu, Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology, University of Louisville, USA
"Self-Esteem is a core psychological concept whose meaning and importance have been sometimes misunderstood or ill-understood by psychology students, counselors, and therapists, as well as the general public. That's why Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan: Issues and Interventions, knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Mary Guindon is such a germane and timely body of work. Beginning with Mary Guindon's two-part introduction defining self-esteem and self-esteem interventions, the expert contributors go on to address self-esteem issues associated with childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, mid-life, and late life with respect to the elderly. An informed and informative body of work that is enhanced with the addition of an extensive list of resources and an example of a 'Group Self-Esteem Intervention Program', as well as an author index and a subject index, Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan: Issues and Interventions is a seminal contribution to the field and a highly recommended addition for professional and academic library Counseling, Psychology, and Psychiatry reference collections and supplemental reading lists." - The Midwest Book Review
