The Relationship between Perceptions of Self-esteem, Patterns of Familial Attachment, and Family Environment During Early and Late Phases of Adolescence

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the manner in which early adolescents ‘(aged 12–15) and late adolescents' (aged 16–18) levels of self-esteem were related to both their perceptions of their family environment and their perceptions of their levels of attachment with their parents. Results indicated that early adolescents' self-esteem was related to their patterns of attachment with their caregivers, whereas late adolescents' levels of self-esteem was more related to specific aspects of their family environment. This pattern of findings was taken to be consistent with Haan's (1981) and Stewart's (1982) position that early adolescents' were engaged in information-seeking (assimilation of new information) while late adolescents’ were attempting to integrate (or accommodate) information to form an adult identity.