Differences in Self-Esteem of University Students with and without Disability

IntroductionSelf-esteem as a personality construct is just an estimation of one's self, therefore, is usually considered as private and personal. Generally it means a person's over all worth about him or herself. The construct of self- esteem consists of many beliefs such as the appraisal of one's own appearance, emotions, cognition and behavior. Self-esteem is an essential human need for survival and normal healthy development. It arises automatically based upon a person's beliefs and consciousness and has conjunction with a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and actions.Self-esteem as a component of personality has its own significance, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, race and disability. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) also need positive self -esteem as their normal peers possess. In Pakistan, the ratio of disability in the total population is 2.49% (Census, 1998). Ministry of Health, Special Education and Social Welfare deals with this population. Many national and international NGOs are working to empower and rehabilitate people with special need in all sectors of life. The major focus of all these organizations and institutions in special education is to provide them with the best educational, psychological and other allied services like, medical facilities, financial assistance, provision of aids (like wheel chairs, hearing aids, etc). Researches in these fields also concentrate on just surveying available services, like schools, books, teachers and transport as well as other hubs including symptoms, causes and prevalence of disability. These are related to physiological needs of human beings. However, needs like self-esteem are still not focused upon. So this scenario demands to muse on psychological aspects of persons with disabilities or special needs.Gender has a great magnitude in the formation of self-esteem at any age. Generally females have lower self-perception than males at the time of adolescence and early adult years especially in male dominating societies like Pakistan. So this factor also calls for examination.Literature ReviewSelf-esteem is based on appraisal concern to oneself and is a belief in one's capacity to change one's own situation. It helps a person to realize his/her good and bad qualities, and can alleviate lack of self-esteem, lack of satisfaction and the sense of unhappiness. Self-acceptance is the recognition of one self. It is just good feelings of within and does not depend on what is going outside or external achievements. It is necessary for human beings to learn to accept and love oneself with all ones flaws and imperfections as well as weakness and strengths, without any feelings of shame and embarrassment (Gerrard, Gibbons, Reis-Bergan, & Russell, 2000; Phelps, 2010). Factors like economic status, education, social support and awareness hold principal positions in development, expansion and enhancement of Self-esteem (Leary, 2004; Logel, Holmes, Anthony, Wood, & Cameron, 2006; Mruk, 2006; Robins, Tracy, Trzesniewski, Potter, & Gosling, 2001; Rogers, 1980). According to MacDonald and Leary (2005), evaluation by others also has a significant part in developing self-esteem. Self-perceptions and actual competence have traditionally been divided into four smaller categories. These include academic, social, emotional, and behavioral perceptions. Based on these categories, four common dimensions of self- esteem are drawn such as self- acceptance, self- competence, social and physical self- acceptance, and academic self-competence (Anthony, Wood, & Holmes, 2007; Antle , 2004; Cash, & Annis, 2004; Harter, 2003; Watson, Suls, & Haig, 2002).Academic self-competence is a term that generally refers to perceptions of ability in broad academic areas, such as how good a student is in general. Academic self-competence may also refer to perceived ability in subject areas as a whole. This makes the definition very similar to self-concept. …