A multi-dimensional wellness curriculum should provide outcomes that demonstrate an increased understanding and application of each wellness dimension in students. Outcomes from previous research at this institution illustrated statistically significant student growth over one college semester within nine wellness dimensions. Research has also indicated that overall self-esteem is positively associated with one’s internal wellness orientation, principle-centeredness (character-based principles/ethic), physical self-esteem and physical activity levels (Adams, Bezner & Steinhardt, 1995). The purpose of this study was to further investigate the relationship between all nine wellness constructs and self-esteem levels in college students.
Method:
Undergraduates (n=529) enrolled at a private, Midwestern university participated in the current correlational study. Students completed both the Multidimensional Wellness Inventory (Mayol & Scott, 2012) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1989)—both paper-based and self-reported in nature. The Multidimensional Wellness Inventory, used to measure one’s perceived behavior with respect to personal wellness orientation, contained 45 items consisting of five questions per construct that were summed to create nine single wellness constructs: physical exercise (PE), physical nutrition (PN), mental (M), social (S), spiritual (SP), intellectual (I), environmental (E), occupational (O) and financial (F) wellness. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, used to measure level of self-esteem, contained 10 items summed for a global self-esteem score.
Analysis/Results:
A bivariate, correlational analysis was conducted among self-esteem scores and all nine wellness constructs. Each wellness construct was significantly correlated with self-esteem at the p<.01 level, except environmental wellness—which was not significant. An overall multiple regression was considered; however, there was an issue of multi-collinearity as some of the wellness constructs correlated with each other at r >.40. Results showed a range of correlations between wellness and self-esteem from the lowest (r=.128) being financial wellness to the highest (r=.510) being mental wellness. The remaining constructs fell in between: PE (r=.139), PN (r=.146), SP (r=.157), I (r=.174), S (r=.264), and O (r=.357).
Conclusions:
Although correlations cannot determine causality, it is important to note the positive relationship between one’s personal wellness orientation across eight of the nine dimensions and levels of self-esteem. Given that all of the relationships were positive, an increase in self-esteem indicates an increase in overall wellness, or vice versa. Perhaps only focusing on one or two dimensions of wellness (e.g., physical activity/nutrition) within a college wellness course may serve as a limiting factor to one’s self-esteem levels. Further research is needed to better understand the directionality between self-esteem and improving one’s personal wellness orientation.