Date of Award

2000

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Art

First Advisor

Pamela Nickels

Second Advisor

Karen O'Hearn

Third Advisor

Anita Sankar

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between adolescent self-esteem and participation in student activities. Conducted in a Midwestern public high school, the study involved 111 tenth-grade students who completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a questionnaire about their involvement in extracurricular activities. The hypothesis proposed that adolescents who participated in school activities would report higher self-esteem than those who did not. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and Pearson correlations, were used to evaluate the data. Results indicated that both male and female students who participated in at least one activity had significantly higher self-esteem scores than nonparticipants. However, a significant positive correlation between level of participation and self-esteem was found only among female students. The study concludes that engagement in school-sponsored activities can positively influence adolescents’ self-esteem, particularly for females, possibly due to increased peer support and shared social experiences. Limitations include the self-reported nature of the data and the specific demographic sample, which may not generalize to other populations. The study recommends that school counselors and educators recognize the developmental value of student activities and consider integrating them more purposefully into the overall educational environment to support adolescents’ psychological and social growth.

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