The Relation of Self-Esteem Instability and Fear of Negative Evaluation with Self-Handicapping in Adolescent Students

The aim of the present research is to determine the relation of self-esteem instability and fear of negative evaluation with self-handicapping in adolescent students. In a cross sectional research, 386 high school male and female students are selected based on multi-stage sampling in city of Tehran in the academic year of 2010-2011. They filled Jones and Rhodwalt Self-handicapping Scale (SHS), Chabrol, Rousseau, & Callahan Inatability Self-esteem Scale (ISES) and Watson and Friend Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (FNE). Pearson correlation test, inter-regression and independent T test are used for statistical analysis. The results of Pearson correlation show that self-esteem instability has a positive relation (r=.261, p<0.001) with self-handicapping, and fear of negative evaluation is positively and significantly (r=.289, p<0.001) correlated with self-handicapping. Also relation of self-esteem instability and fear of negative evaluation with behavioral self-handicapping and claimed self-handicapping is positive and siginificant. Regression analysis indicates that self-esteem instability and fear of negative evaluation predict self-handicapping in adolescent students. Independent T test shows that self-handicapping in girls is higher than boys. The results indicate that self-esteem instability and fear of negative evaluation are determining & predictive factors in self-handicapping in adolescent students.