Introduction - UK University Study: Affirmations and Self-Esteem
During their university years, students of all ages are exposed to many challenges including financial concerns, maintaining a healthy balance between academic commitments and their social and personal lives (Beiter et al.,2015). This struggle can disrupt their ability to maintain a positive mental state and self-esteem, which, in turn, can contribute to a range of mental and emotional challenges (Pedrelli et al., 2014). For students with low self-esteem, these challenges might manifest as poor academic performance, difficulties in forming friendships, or even issues in their relationships with peers and instructors (Nicklin & Morgan, 2023).
Self-esteem can be understood as an individual's assessment of their own worth, importance, or value. According to Blascovich and Tomaka (1991), it reflects one's evaluation of their own significance. Renowned self-esteem expert Rosenberg (1965) described self-esteem as an individual's positive or negative attitude toward themselves. Notably, self-esteem is closely linked to confidence. Individuals with lower self-esteem are more likely to experience diminished confidence and adopt a pessimistic outlook on life. In contrast, those with higher self-esteem tend to exhibit a more positive perspective and greater self-belief.
In the field of psychological research, self-esteem ranks among the most extensively studied topics (Judge et al., 2002) and is recognized as one of the most pivotal constructs in psychology.
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Similarly, Well-being is an important aspect of human life. According to World Health Organisation (2004) “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. An integral part of well-being is Mental well-being. It is a well-balanced combination of how an individual is feeling and how they are functioning. Keyes (2013) identified the three main components of mental well- being which are social well-being, psychological well-being and emotional well-being.
Self-esteem can have direct impact on the student’s Mental well-being too. People with higher self-esteem are happier, make more friends and are comfortable “in their own skin” (Baydala, et. al., 2009). Previous studies have indicated a direct link between the self-esteem, depression, and other mental health problems. Such as higher self-esteem has indicated the lower rates of depression and an increase in general psychological health (Babiss & Gangwisch, 2009; Ford & Collins, 2010). Similarly, Lower self-esteem can lead to students having higher rates of depression and comparatively higher rates of mental health related problems then to the people with higher self-esteem (Steiner et al., 2000).
There are various factors that influence the self-esteem of an individual such as personality, genetics, age, thoughts, health, life experiences, social circumstances, and validation from others etc. However, it is important to notice that self-esteem is malleable and can be measured and tested. It’s not fixed and can also be improved suing various measures (Ackerman & Nash, 2023).
The statistics on low Self-esteem amongst women indicate that 90% of women are not happy with their body image (Gitnux, 2023), which reflects their low self-esteem. This data is also a powerful indicator of the alarming and disheartening situation amongst women. This issue of low self-esteem has been growing amongst adolescents and college students. 60% of the adolescents indicated the higher risk of developing an eating disorder because of low self-esteem and amongst college students it has been seen that 5%-10% of them struggle with low self-esteem (Gitnux, 2023). These statistics indicates the critical nature of low self-esteem amongst youngsters and how important it is to address this issue by supporting those struggling by providing resources to them to be more aware of these issues and to help them construct their self-esteem. It is imperative to understand this issue and be aware of the affect it has on an individual’s well-being. This is also a great indicator of the fact that self-esteem should not be overlooked and require more strategies to overcome this issue to help individuals to be more aware and work on their self-esteem.
Various research in the past have indicated the strong connection between self-esteem and mental well-being of individuals. Paradise & Kernis, (2002) study to examine the implication of low self-esteem on mental well-being indicated that stable and higher self-esteem has great association with better well-being. In fact, the statistics have indicated that experience of depression is 25% lower in people with high self-esteem (Gitnux, 2023). Statistics like this reflect on the importance self-esteem is and it also indicates the profound effect it has on mental well-being.
However, to improve an individual’s self-esteem, it is important to measure it first and this can be done using various proven validated and reliable measures such as Rosenberg Self Esteem Inventory (Rosenberg,1965). Similarly, mental well-being can also be measured utilising the validated and reliable measures such as The Warwick-Edinburgh mental Wellbeing Sales (Tennant et al., 2007). These methods can be applied over time either to observe the changes in self-esteem and mental well-being or just to observe it once in a given time.
The self-affirmation theory by Steele (1998) suggest that people are motivated to affirm their integrity of self when their self-image is threatened. People can overcome the experience or information that threatens their self-concept and this in result can help to restore the self-esteem in them. Positive affirmations are positive statements to help reinforce positive self-esteem and to build self-confidence (Kadian, 2023). They are great tools, which are widely recognised and can have great impact on self-esteem and mental well-being of individuals. Positive affirmations work by boosting self-esteem in an individual by repeating positive statements to help nurture positive mindset. Although many previous studies have helped in recognising the benefits of positive affirmations in the world of therapy and personal development, there is still need of further investigation of the actual mechanism of positive affirmation and their true impact on an individual practicing them. The current study aims to explore this impact of self-affirmation on self-esteem and mental well-being of university students in UK by conducting quantitative research and analysing the result. Furthermore, in this study researcher will also review the previous literature and studies related to this.
Literature Review
To measure the impact of Positive self-affirmation on self-esteem and mental well- being of university students in UK, Rosenburg Self Esteem Inventory (Rosenberg, 1965) and The Warwick-Edinburgh mental Wellbeing Sales (Tennant et al., 2007) will be used as a quantitative measure for the purpose of this study. Reliability of these scales will also be explored in this review along with previous research related to impact of self-affirmations on self-esteem and mental well-being of students. Further review of literature will provide an overview of self -esteem, Mental well-being, and self-affirmation theory.
Self-esteem
The very first concept and definition of Self-esteem was proposed by William James (1890), which suggested that self-esteem is a ratio based on the division of one’s successes and failures in important area of their life. In 1969 this definition was further examined by Nathaniel Branden. He suggested that self-esteem is a combination of two components, one being an individual’s competency to cope with life’s basic challenges and other one is their confidence in being worthy of happiness (Abdel-Khalek, 2016). These different definitions conceptualised that self-esteem is measurable and quantifiable which helped Morris Rosenburg to create his own definition and further to create a tool to measure self-esteem. According to Rosenburg Self-esteem is multi-dimensional attitude of an individual about themselves. An individual’s Self-esteem is essentially their internal feelings about themselves caused by their internal and external events and thoughts (Rosenburg,1965). A very popular valid and reliable Scale to measure Self-esteem was a great contribution from Rosenburg (1965). Multiple studies over the years have proved the reliability and validity of Rosenburg’s scale by having high reproducibility and test-retest reliability of 0.85 (Silber & Tippett, 1965; Griffiths et al., 1999). This self-esteem scale will be used by the researcher for the purpose of measuring self-esteem of students in this study.
Mental well-being is a very important aspect of Mental health and subjective well-being of every human. This has been a great topic of interest amongst researchers as it impacts many other areas of an individual’s well-being such as emotional, physical and factors related to cognition (Canevello & Crocker, 2011). It plays an important role in every stage of human life. Mental or psychological well-being can be defined “The development of one's potential, having some control over one's life, having a sense of purpose, and experiencing positive relationships” (Huppert, 2009). Our well-being is a combination of our feelings and functionality towards both social and personal level. Measuring these feelings and functionality of an individual has been a challenge for a while. Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) is a great positively worded scale designed to measure both aspects of mental well-being. This scale had 14 items which are positively worded to measure and assess the mental wellbeing of population. This scale’s focus is positive aspect of mental health and has showed to be a good reliable and consistent scale through various studies (Tennant et al., 2007). A short Warwick-Edinburg Mental well-being scale (SWEMWBS) consisting of 7 item is also available and this is the version that will be used in this study by researcher to measure the well-being of university students.
Positive Self-Affirmations
The theory of self-affirmation by Steele (1998), proposed that maintaining a positive self-image is a strong desire of all individuals and to protect this self-image, they will find themselves engaging in various activities. People generally prefer to see a moral, kinder, and competent version of themselves and when this image of self is threatened in them, psychological defences are triggered to dispel these self-doubts, which in return can help to preserve that desired image of self. However, these defences can be cancelled by affirming a different aspect of self, which is entirely unrelated to the threat, such as their life core values (vanDellen et al., 2010).
Similarly, Self-identity theory proposes that an individual’s relationships with others and place in their social groups gives them a sense of value and self-worth (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). Positive self-affirmations can help an individual in building this strong positive self-concept by influencing their self-esteem (Wood & Forest,2016).
Positive self-affirmations work on the principal of cognitive restructuring, which helps an individual in reframing and challenging their negative thoughts by repeating these positive statements about themselves. This entire process helps creates very realistic and positive self-beliefs for an individual, which further helps in amplifying their mental well-being and self-esteem (Beck,1976; Burns, 1980).
A study by Chen (2017), highlighted that using self-affirmation to improve and focus on the self-aspect of an individual plays an important role in managing the psychological and physical well-being of individuals. This paper is very useful in understanding the emotions both positive and negative, related to self-affirmation and contributes towards the rationale for the current study, which aims to identify the impact of positive affirmations on self-esteem and well-being of students. The current study will measure the differences between the pre and post intervention of affirmation to explore the impact it has on self-esteem of students.
Well-being and positive affirmation
Importance of self-affirmation in managing and maintaining well-being has been critically discussed in previous studies (Chen, 2017). Impact of Self-affirmations in improving the well-being of individuals was reviewed by Howell (2016). He tried to establish a connection between well-being and self-affirmation through various self-affirmative theories. The author included the concept of the positive-activity model, through which he managed to describe the importance of self-affirmation in improving well-being and psychological behaviour (Howell,2016). This paper identified the gap in research related to the well-being and self-affirmation and has suggested to use the positive-activity framework to align the concept of self-affirmation and well-being. Current study can help fill this gap by providing statistical evidence-based data from this experimental research on university students.
Another research by Arquiza (2020) introduced the concept of virtual affirmations and their impact on improving the self-esteem and well-being of college students. A clear relationship between students’ performance and positive affirmation was drawn during this research. This study provides a great foundation and guide for the current study in understanding the impact of virtual affirmations on students’ well-being and self-esteem.
Self-esteem and Positive Affirmation
A study by Darmawati et al. (2018), aimed to examine the impact of positive affirmation techniques on improving self-confidence among the students of PG PAUD FKIP of Khairun University, suggested that positive affirmation assists students in gaining self-confidence, which simultaneously helps them succeed academically. The statistical analysis of this paper shows that there is a high possibility of improving the student's self-confidence by incorporating positive affirmation techniques. The main strength of this paper is that the researchers present the discussion and analysis in this paper by including only practical information gathered by primary quantitative data collection. In addition to that, the researchers have included statistical analysis in the paper, which has helped to maintain the reliability of the information provided in the paper. Apart from these strengths, this research has several limitations. The main limitations of this paper may include that the researchers do not mention or follow any theoretical concept or model rated to affirmation techniques. Using theories or models would guide the researchers in improving the paper's significance in assisting future researchers in developing knowledge about positive affirmation techniques (Darmawati et al., 2018). Similarly, the sample size included by the researcher for collecting data is too small, which also restricts the reliability of the study in a broader scenario. Despite these limitations, this paper has successfully highlighted the role of positive affirmation in improving the academic performance of students and therefore provided insight to the researcher to build on this study further.
Study Justification/Rationale
The existing studies and literature provide a great rationale for this current study on the impact of positive affirmation on the self-esteem and mental well-being of students in UK. This study's rationale lies in synthesizing existing research gaps, both in theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, to comprehensively understand the influence of positive affirmation techniques on the mental well-being and self-esteem of students within UK university environments. By addressing these gaps through rigorous statistical analysis and experimental research methods, this study aims to provide valuable insights that could inform supportive strategies for student well-being and academic success within the UK educational landscape.
Current Study
The present study aims to examine the impact of positive self-affirmations on the self-esteem and mental well-being of the university students in United Kingdom. The results from this study further shed the light if affirmations can be used as an intervention in future for improving self-esteem. The experimental element of this study will observe the changes in self-esteem and mental well-being of participants by comparing between the pre and post intervention results. This research will be based on a pre-experimental design and will follow the primary quantitative research method.
Previous research has highlighted the role of positive affirmations in improving students' academic performance (Darmawati et al., 2018; Arquiza, 2020). Therefore, this study would further justify the association between positive affirmation, self-esteem, and mental well-being. This study is limited to university students but has no gender or age limitations.
2.7.1-Study Implications
This new study exploring the impact of positive affirmation on the self-esteem and mental well-being of students in UK universities holds several implications across different spheres:
Academic Support:
Understanding the influence of positive affirmation techniques on students' mental well-being can lead to the development of targeted interventions within university settings. If the study demonstrates a significant positive impact, it could encourage educational institutions to integrate these practices into their academic support systems, potentially improving student performance, engagement, and overall satisfaction.
Student Well-being Programs:
Insights gained from this study could shape the design and implementation of student well-being programs. If positive affirmations prove effective, institutions may incorporate these practices into counselling services, workshops, or online resources, empowering students to enhance their self-esteem and manage stress or psychological challenges better.
Technology Integration:
With the rising prevalence of virtual affirmations, understanding their impact on student well-being becomes crucial. If the study reveals positive effects, it could encourage the development of tailored apps or digital platforms within university systems, providing students with accessible tools to bolster their mental well-being.
The study's findings could contribute to both theoretical frameworks and future research. Confirming the relationship between positive affirmation and mental well-being among UK university students could fill a significant gap in empirical evidence, potentially inspiring further studies in this area and fostering the development of more comprehensive models or theories.
Policy and Institutional Changes:
Successful results might prompt educational institutions to re-evaluate their policies regarding student support services. They might consider incorporating positive affirmation practices as part of a holistic approach to student well-being, aligning institutional policies with practices that nurture students' mental health.
Societal Impact:
If the study demonstrates the efficacy of positive affirmations in improving student well-being, it could have broader societal implications. Encouraging the adoption of such practices within higher education might promote a cultural shift towards prioritizing mental health and self-care among young adults, extending beyond academic environments.
Ultimately, the implications of this study extend beyond the academic realm, potentially influencing policies, practices, and societal attitudes toward student well-being and mental health support in the UK and potentially globally.
2.7.2- Research Question and Hypothesis
This research aims to answer the following question.
Does daily practice of positive self-affirmation have an impact on self-esteem and well-being of university students?
Following hypothesis Based on previous research were generated.
Self-worth and confidence can be increased in students through daily practice of positive affirmation which in turn can help their academic success (Darmawati et al., 2018).
Daily practice of Positive self-affirmation can influence the mental well-being of students (Howell,2016).
Method
Data source can be primary as well as secondary and based on type of data, it can be qualitative and quantitative (Meyer, 2022). This study will follow the primary quantitative research method, which indicates that the data used in this study will be collected from primary sources.
3.1- Design
In this study the primary data and pre-experimental research design is used to help the researcher to analyse the result and impact of an intervention on one group of people. The one-group pretest - posttest pre-experimental research design helps the researcher to analyse the impact of a condition or an intervention on one group of people, and the effects are measured by repeating the same test at the beginning and at the end of the experiment and reviewing the differences in the results (Ary et al., 2019). By following the pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest desgn research design, the researcher will test the participants in two parts: one part for pre-test analysis and another part for post-test analysis.
There are two dependent variables in this study, which are self-esteem and mental well-being. These variables are used to measure the response from participants.
Rosenburg’s self-esteem scale is used to measure the self-esteem of participants. Warwick and Edinburgh well-being scale is used to measure participant’s mental well-being.
Positive affirmations are independent variables in this study. Differences between the pre and post test results will be a good indicator of how daily affirmations have impacted the participants self-esteem and mental well-being.
3.2- Participants
To gather primary data, random sampling technique is used to recruit 68 participants from psychology departments at Coventry university. A power analysis for a one-tailed paired-samples t-test indicated that the minimum sample size to yield a statistical power of at least .8 with an alpha of .05 and a medium effect size (d = 0.6) is 19.
Participants were recruited through university online research participation system SONA and were awarded 30 credits for their participation once the experiment was completed. 58 participants were female and 10 were male. The age range oof participants was 18-47 (mean age =23.74, SD= 6.65). The inclusion criteria to participate in this study is the participants must be enrolled as a psychology student at the university and is willing to participate in the study voluntarily. Random sampling techniques mainly guide the researcher in providing equal weightage to every sample making the data collection process much easier (Bhardwaj, 2019). Detailed information about the study and its purpose is provided to each participant along with potential risks and benefits involved (see Appendix- 1 and 3). Informed consent is collected from all the participants (see Appendix- 2). An ethical approval was obtained from the Coventry university ethics committee prior to data collection (see Appendix-7).
3.3- Materials
To evaluate the quantitative data, the questionnaires were distributed amongst the participants by using university-recommended online platforms SONA. This Questionnaire consist two scales, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (see Appendix-4) and Warwick Edinburgh scale for mental well-being (see Appendix -5), to gather information about the mental health and well-being of university students.
Rosenburg’s Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) is widely used self-reported questionaire to measure the self-esteem of wide population. This scale is composed of 10 statements, including 5 negatively worded statements. It uses a 4-point Likert scale format, to gather response from participants, ranging from ‘Stringly Agree’ to Strongly Disagree’. Higher scores on this scle reflects the higher levels of self-esteem, which reflects positive feelings and perceptions about oneslef. Lower scores suggest lower levels of self-esteem, potentially indicating feeling od dissatisfaction with oneself. Based on a 1-week test-retest, reliability of .82 and internal consistency of .88 was reported by Fleming and Courtney (1984) indicating that the items within scale are highly corelated.
Warwick Edinburgh scale for Mental Well-Being (Tennant et al., 2007) is a self-reported measurement tool designed with the aim to evaluate the positive aspect of mental health of individuals. This scale has two variations, longer version of scale consists of 14 positively worded statements and shorter version of scale consists of 7 positively worded statements that cover various aspects of mental health. To conduct this research the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) will be used. The responses for this scale are on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from “1- None of the time’ to ‘5-All of the time’. The higher score on the scale indicates the higher level of mental well-being, while lower scores might suggest areas where individual might seek support in relation to their mental well-being. Based on test-retest, both versions of this scale have shown the reliability of .83 and Cronbach value of .89 demonstrating good internal reliability and consistency.
Through this questionnaire, primarily data was collected about the participants in the pre-test scenario. This questionnaire also consist of two consecutive parts to guide the researchers in collecting the most relevant information. Part one of this questionnaire contains personal information about the participants. To maintain the participants' privacy, the demographic question have been used to gather data about participants' gender and age groups. According to Moore et al. (2022), one's cultural background, along with age and gender, creates a strong influence on the overall behaviour of individuals. Then, in psychological and behavioural studies, the researchers always need to include information about participants' age and gender to critically analyse the trends of the incident among different ages or gender. Participant’s email address and SONA Id were also collected in this part in order to send the affirmations and to reward the credit. All participants were provided with positive affirmations (see Appendix-8) and a log book to log their emotions everyday (see Apendix-6).
3.4- Procedure
After getting the ethical approval from Coventry University, the study was advertised and posted through the universities online portal SONA and AULA. Following the registration on SONA, participants were directed to the JISC, an online research survey platform to participate in the study. Once the participants have signed and consented to the study, they are directed to the pre-test questionnaires to measure the self-esteem and mental well-being of participants. This questionnaire consists of Rosenburg self-esteem scale and Warwick Edinburg's scale for mental well-being. In the primary research, ethical consideration always plays a significant role. Managing the privacy of the participants taking part in the survey and protecting their personal information is the main ethical concern in primary research (Cascio et al., 2020). In the first step, the researcher planned only to gather demographic information about participants' age and gender, not to reveal any other personal information.
After they have completed the online questionaries, participants were presented with a debrief sheet and thank you note as appreciation of participation in first part of the study. The debrief sheet had all the information about the currents study’s aim and objectives along with the previous studies references.
This data from pre-test questionnaires establishes a baseline for the research about the self-esteem and mental well-being. Therefore, in the post experiment results, data of almost 23 participants have been produced.
In the next part, two positive affirmations are delivered daily to participants using their email ids for four weeks with a pre-designed email system, which notifies the researcher when the participants have received and read the message to ensure the receipt and the viewing of the affirmation. They are also provided with the four-week logbook with their first email, to log how they felt after each day of reading affirmation. After four weeks the participant will complete the same questionnaire in the post-test scenario. This post test data is used to measure the difference in self-esteem and mental well-being of participants after four weeks of reading positive affirmations. The main aim of the researcher is to analyse the comparison between the data collected from the pre-test or post-test survey.
3.5- Ethical consideration
According to Vlahou et al. (2021), in psychological and medical research, another important ethical concern associated with the study is managing the physical and psychological safety of participants. Thus, while conducting this overall research process, the researcher were more focused on managing the physical and psychological safety of the participants to maintain the ethnicity of this research paper. An ethical approval(see Appendix 7) was obtained from the university’s ethics commitee prior to conducting this study. The deatils of all the supportive resurces along with this studies objectives and aims were provided in the debrief sheet (see Appendix 3 ) to all the aprticipants. Furthermore, to manage the ethical consideration, the discussion in this paper is presented by only considering the analytical values and results derived through this data analysis process. In case of any participants wished to withdraw in given time, participant’s ID was recorded from both sets of questionnaires. 30 credits were awarded to all the participants who finished both part of the study.
3.6- Analysis
For analysing the data, a statistical analysis is conducted on the data collected using SPSS techniques for conducting the data analysis. Through using this statistics tool, the researcher will also conduct a Paired t-test analysis and hypothesis testing. Conducting a hypothesis test or t-test mainly guides to justify the relationship between the selected variable (Campos et al., 2022). Therefore, by conducting these analyses, the researchers could justify the association between positive affirmation, self-esteem, and mental well-being amongst university students in the UK.
Results
Post data results
The items in the table (Q2, Q3, Q6_1 through Q6_10, and Q6_a_1 through Q6_a_7) are the survey or study questions or variables. The table displays the mean score, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum scores, and the number of responses (N) for each item.
In Q2, for instance, there were 23 answers, ranging in score from 19 to 42. The mean of these responses was 23.52, and the standard deviation was 6.359, indicating a moderate degree of variability around the mean. The majority of the items appear to have scores between 0 and 3 or 1 and 4, suggesting the possibility of a Likert scale or other categorical rating system. These items' mean scores typically hover around 2, indicating a central tendency in the direction of the middle of the possible range.
Pre data results
Based on 68 respondents' survey responses, the data presented indicates that the average frequency of experiencing the assessed states is between "Rarely" and "Some of the time." The items' mean scores range from 1.07 to 2.44 on scales of 0-3 and 0-4. The constantly low standard deviations suggest that there is little variation in the responses. The majority of distributions are symmetrical, according to skewness values, except Q2, which exhibits a positive skew that indicates a concentration of lower scores, and Q3, which has a noticeable negative skew that indicates a concentration of higher scores. Except for Q2, which has a greater peak, the kurtosis values indicate that the response distributions are often neither overly peaked nor too flat.
Regression analysis
A low correlation between the predictors and the dependent variable, Q6_a_3, is indicated by the R-value of.309. Only 9.6% of the variance in the dependent variable can be explained by the model, according to the R Square value of.096 a relatively low percentage. With the sample size and number of predictors in the model taken into consideration, the Adjusted R Square value comes in even lower at.038, according to the data. This indicates that, after correcting for the number of predictors, the model only partially explains the variance of the dependent variable.
The average distance that the observed values fall from the regression line is reflected in the Std. Error of the Estimate, which is.811. While the Significance (Sig.) value of.169 is over the traditional alpha threshold of.05., the F-value of 1.664 is rather low. This implies that the variability explained by the model is not substantially more than what would be predicted by chance, and thus the model is not statistically significant. The dependent variable's predicted change as the predictor variable grows by one unit is shown by the B values (unstandardized coefficients).
The predictor's relative strength in relation to its standard deviation is displayed by the Standardised Beta coefficients. Each predictor's t and Sig. values determine whether or not the predictor has a statistically significant relationship with the dependent variable. At the traditional alpha level, none of the predictors are statistically significant, as shown by a Sig. value of less than 05.
T-Test
The mean values, which vary from 1.79 to 2.44, imply that students gave positive answers to the items that were tested, which may have something to do with their well-being and sense of self-worth. In the context of positive affirmation, the low Standard Deviations indicate a consensus among the responses, pointing to a shared experience among the pupils.
The average responses are statistically considerably higher than the lowest score on the scale, as indicated by the significantly high t-values and associated Sig. (2-tailed) values less than 001. Significant impact sizes are indicated by the Hedges' g and Cohen's d values. This suggests that the application of positive affirmation has a significant impact on the well-being and self-esteem metrics. Positive affirmations have been shown to have a statistically and practically significant positive impact on self-esteem and mental well-being, according to the results of one-sample t-tests and effect size estimates. Not only are students reporting higher than average levels of well-being and self-esteem, but the size of these reports is also noticeably higher than would be predicted by chance.
This suggests that encouraging kids to use positive affirmations can help them feel better about themselves and their mental health. optimistic affirmations can significantly improve students' psychological resources, possibly through improving resilience, cultivating a more optimistic self-view, and facilitating improved stress management. This is shown by the substantial impact sizes.
It is important to remember that these findings must be interpreted in light of the constraints imposed by the study's methodology. Although the noteworthy results offer a solid basis for advocating the advantages of positive affirmations, it is impossible to prove causation without taking into account additional variables that can affect the pupils' well-being. In order to better separate the effects of positive affirmations from other variables, controlled trials and longitudinal studies could be investigated in future research.
The statistical output that is presented displays computations for the effect sizes of two distinct comparisons using Hedges' adjustment and Cohen's d. These metrics are employed in statistical analysis to measure the extent of a difference between two groups. Cohen's d value for Q6_a_5 and Q6_a_6, which is the initial comparison (Pair 1), is 1.091. This is generally regarded as a big effect size, indicating a significant difference between the two groups. Nonetheless, zero is included in the confidence interval, which spans -0.184 to 0.292. This indicates that the statistical significance is dubious since we cannot be 95% certain that the observed effect is not the result of random chance. At 1.097, the Hedges correction is extremely near to Cohen's d after a tiny sample bias adjustment. The same conclusion of possible insignificance is supported by the confidence interval that is comparable to Cohen's d.
Pre test analysis
Cohen's d indicates moderate to large effects; values indicating significant group mean differences include 0.500 for Q6_1 and 0.750 for Q6_2. Cohen's d and Hedges' g, which is a more precise metric for small samples, are nearly in line, indicating comparable effect sizes. Glass's delta produces somewhat lower values but maintains the same pattern by using the standard deviation of the control group.
The effect sizes for Q6_1 and Q6_2 are negative, indicating that the experimental group performed worse than the control. Their confidence intervals, however, do not intersect zero, which raises questions about the statistical significance of these results. Q6_a_1, on the other hand, shows a positive effect size and a confidence interval that does not include zero, suggesting that the experimental group's mean may have been significantly higher than the control group.
Discussion
The information that is available for the study covers the effects of positive affirmation on the self-esteem and mental health of 68 university students in the United Kingdom. According to the descriptive data, the mean scores on a scale with possible ratings of 0 to 3 or 0 to 4 range from 1.79 to 2.44. These means show a largely favourable response across all tested items because they are significantly above the neutral middle of the scales. The standard deviations are low, constantly ranging from 0.7 to 1.0, indicating a narrow dispersion of responses around the mean, indicating agreement among the replies provided by the participants. This consistency is important because it shows that the sample population as a whole experiences the effects of positive affirmations on well-being and self-esteem in a somewhat consistent way.
The results of the one-sample t-test support the efficacy of positive affirmations even more. Positive affirmations are found to not influence the measured variables, which is strongly rejected by the t-values of all the items, all of which have highly significant p-values (p <.001). It is implied that the observed effects are not random by the significant mean deviations from the test value of 0. and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals, which do not include 0, high effect sizes, as demonstrated by Cohen's d and Hedges' g, which have values significantly above 0.8, the accepted cut-off for a high effect size, complement this statistical significance.
After reviewing the post-test data, we saw a pattern that supported our initial theory. Cohen's d and Hedges' g, which measure effect sizes, revealed moderate to large effects in a number of confidence and self-worth-related variables. For example, as per the post result data Q6_a_1's Cohen's d of 0.559 indicates a positive shift in these measures, corroborating the notion that self-affirmations can improve confidence and self-worth. These results are consistent with those of Darmawati et al. (2018), who observed comparable improvements in student populations that participated in constructive self-affirmative activities.
The data provide substantial support for the two hypotheses that are put out while examining the findings. According to the first theory, repeating positive affirmations daily can boost confidence and self-worth, which can help students succeed academically. The significant and positive mean scores on linked items indicate that students who participate in positive affirmations see themselves more favourably, even though the dataset lacks explicit indicators of academic accomplishment (Dekeyser et al., 2023). Since this self-perception is known to influence academic achievement and motivation, the idea is somewhat supported.
According to the second theory, repeating positive affirmations regularly may have an impact on mental health. The statistically significant mean scores obtained on questions that are probably related to well-being indicate that students are practising positive affirmations and have favourable mental well-being (Zollars, Poirier and Pailden, 2019). This discovery is especially important when considering university settings, where students frequently deal with pressures that might be harmful to their mental health. Practically speaking, these findings have positive ramifications for the creation of treatments meant to enhance the quality of life for students. T-Statistic and P-Value: The t-statistic calculates the difference's magnitude in relation to the sample data's variation. In general, a negative t-statistic means that, on average, the post-test scores are lower than the pre-test scores. Whether the difference is statistically significant is indicated by the p-value.
Levels of Significance: There was no statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the pre-test and post-test scores for any of the questions, with the exception of Q6_a_6. The p-value for Q6_a_6 is 0.035774, which is below the standard alpha threshold of 0.05, indicating a statistically significant alteration for this question.
Effect Sizes: The differences' effect sizes are shown by the t-statistics. Only Q6_a_6 has demonstrated a significant change, despite the fact that many questions have negative values indicating a decline in the scores.
The fact that most of the questions showed no discernible change may indicate that the regular practise of positive affirmations did not have a substantial effect on the aspects of mental health and self-esteem that those questions measured. If there is a significant change in Q6_a_6, it may point to a particular aspect of mental health or self-esteem that was impacted by the intervention. It would be necessary to interpret this result in light of the measurements made by Q6_a_6.
There could be a number of reasons for the lack of significance in most areas, including the ineffectiveness of the intervention itself, the length of the practise, or the measures' inability to accurately reflect the changes. The outcome for Q6_a_6 indicates that more research into this specific area may be helpful, and it may be worthwhile to look into the reasons why this item was different from the others.
Furthermore, even if the effect sizes are strong, it would be necessary to evaluate the impact on academic achievement in the actual world as well as the sustainability of the improved well-being over the long run (Zollars, Poirier and Pailden, 2019). In order to create a baseline for comparison, the study might also benefit from including a control group. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, the evidence makes a strong argument for the beneficial effects of affirmations on students' well-being and provides a basis for future study and useful implementations in educational environments (I. Di Pompeo et al., 2023).
A person's self-esteem is an essential part of their psychological makeup. It is the all-encompassing assessment of one's own value, competence, and worth (I. Di Pompeo et al., 2023). It includes thoughts, emotions, and self-images that have a big impact on how life turns out. The foundation of general well-being, our internal evaluation of ourselves influences our actions, feelings, and many aspects of our lives, including relationships and accomplishments. Good self-worth builds self-assurance, giving people belief in their skills, improving their ability to make decisions and giving them a feeling of control over their lives (I. Di Pompeo et al., 2023). Self-esteem is the cornerstone of mental health and it drives us towards a more satisfying life.
People who are endowed with high self-esteem have a strong sense of confidence in their abilities and never waver (Xiao, Tian and Xu, 2023). They can overcome obstacles and endure hardships because of their self-belief, which serves as an armour against misfortune. They are inherently resilient, seeing obstacles to overcome and using them as opportunities for personal growth. This resilience involves proactive adaptation, turning setbacks into lessons that strengthen one's character rather than just persevering through hardships (Xiao, Tian and Xu, 2023).
The passageways of our interpersonal connections are echoed by low self-esteem. One's capacity to make an impact, build relationships, or trust people might be hindered by low self-esteem. On the other hand, people who have high self-esteem handle relationships with grace. A well-rounded and fulfilling life is largely dependent on their ability to establish sound boundaries, communicate clearly, and build strong, long-lasting connections.
Positive self-talk is incredibly powerful when it comes to boosting self-esteem (Xiao, Tian and Xu, 2023). It is a transforming instrument that may reset motivation, emotional stability, and self-confidence (Tsang, 2022). The shackles of self-doubt can be broken, releasing confidence and the bravery to face challenges, by replacing self-criticism with affirmations and positive stories. Positive self-talk is more than just a collection of feel-good sayings; it's a calculated method of managing stress and a driving force behind personal development that enables us to see obstacles as chances for improvement (Tsang, 2022).
Positive self-talk is an intentional practice that does more than just improve mood; it opens doors to a more optimistic outlook on life. It serves as a lighthouse that helps us find our way to emotional resilience amidst the clouds of fear and sadness (Setyaningsih and Sunaryo, 2021). Moreover, it acts as a motivator by sustaining goals within our aspect and fostering the perseverance required to overcome obstacles that stand in our way. A change in internal conversation from critical to compassionate is necessary for transformative self-talk. It also promotes confronting limiting ideas and substituting them with empowered affirmations (Setyaningsih and Sunaryo, 2021).
Stress reduction is frequently linked to high self-esteem, and while there is general agreement that self-affirmation and high self-esteem are related, the exact nature of this association is still unclear (Setyaningsih and Sunaryo, 2021). The overall assessment of oneself that results from the accumulation of self-images over time is known as self-esteem. On the other hand, spontaneous self-affirmation refers to the process of using positive self-images when one's sense of self is in jeopardy (Dewi, Yulianto and Ruswanti, 2022). It has been proposed that an individual's ability to engage in spontaneous self-affirmation may differ based on their degree of self-esteem; those who have higher levels of self-esteem may find it simpler to do so than those who have lower levels of self-esteem (Dewi, Yulianto and Ruswanti, 2022).
Research indicates that rather than being a direct cause, self-esteem has a moderating effect. Further research is necessary because the precise nature and direction of its impact are not always noticed, suggesting that the effects of self-esteem on individuals vary (Dewi, Yulianto and Ruswanti, 2022). Some research suggests that people with lower self-esteem may react less defensively to challenging information than people with higher self-esteem who maintain the same level of defensiveness, defying the belief that people with higher self-esteem respond better to self-affirmation.
Research has shown that although all participants in pre-stressful self-affirmation activities reported reduced levels of stress, those with greater levels of self-esteem reported even lower levels of stress compared to their counterparts with lower levels of self-esteem. This implies that although there are general benefits to self-affirmation, the degree of those benefits may depend on a person's degree of self-esteem.
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