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XULAneXUS

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Abstract

Anxiety and depression are common results of the pressures experienced by college students at all levels of their undergraduate careers. These symptoms often influence college students’ self worth and play a key role in determining adequate self-esteem, and recent research has examined a number of the causes and effects of self-perceptions among college students. The current study examines how information that may affect the mindset of a student affects his or her self perceptions. Specifically the present study measures the effect of neutral/positive and negative information on the self-worth of college students. A sample of 24 Xavier University of Louisiana students was randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 13) and a control group (n = 11). The experimental group received information that presented college in a negative light, whereas the control group received the same information written in a manner that conveyed a neutral/positive tone. The participants’ self-worth was measured using The Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale (Crocker et al., 2003). Contrary to hypotheses, participants who read the negative information about college students did not have a more externally contingent self worth. Thus, the information presented to participants in the experimental group did not affect how students assessed their self-worth. Although the trends in the data are promising, reasons for this lack of significant results may be insufficient manipulation strength or a small sample size

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