The Relationship Between Family Functioning and Self-esteem in Female High School Students of Isfahan, Iran, in 2013-2014

Background: One of the most critical periods of the life of a person is adolescence. During this period, individuals face many problems such as low self-esteem. Self-esteem can be influenced by many factors such as school, friends, and inner personality, but it seems that the family has a crucial role in shaping self-esteem. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between family functioning and self-esteem in female high school students in Isfahan, Iran.

Materials And Methods: This descriptive correlational study was performed with multi-stage random sampling method on 237 female high school students who met the inclusion criteria of the study. The data collection tools included Bloom's Family Functioning Scale and Pop's self-esteem questionnaire. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed through SPSS software.

Results: The results showed that the majority of the samples examined had moderate level self-esteem (48.5%) and family function (56.5%). There was a significant correlation between the dimensions of family functioning and areas of self-esteem (except for lack of independence, and public, academic, and physical self-esteem). In addition, the correlation between family aspirations and self-esteem (r = 0.636, P < 0.01) was higher than other variables. Moreover, across the dimensions of family functioning, a significant negative correlation was found between the lack of independence and the family self-esteem subscale.

Conclusions: The results of the study showed that adolescents' self-esteem is highly correlated with their family's performance. Therefore, to enhance the self-esteem of adolescents, family-centered empowerment programs should be planned and implemented by health service providers, especially nurses, in order to improve and enhance family functioning.