Self-Esteem Research, Theory, and Practice Toward a Positive ...

190 SELF-ESTEEM RESEARCH, THEORY, AND PRACTICEFor most populations, it is more realistic to create a self-esteem programthat is relatively brief and well structured instead of long and openended.This framework also means that we are best served by using a fewsolid therapeutic activities rather than a large range of them, especiallybecause there simply are not many proven self-esteem enhancement activitiesto consider in the first place. It takes time to learn anything well, somarathon or weekend workshops are not recommended unless one isdealing with a motivated, high-functioning audience. Also, I have foundthat care should be taken to do some pre-screening, even if it is only areferrals-only approach. Self-esteem is a popular topic and programs onit draw people with much more serious issues than may meet the eye.Such individuals slow down or disrupt a general population group, so itis more appropriate to refer them to a clinical or individual offering ofthe program. Finally, clinical groups, which often move at a slower paceand go on for a longer time, can be modified somewhat by adding a fewextra sessions to make sure that everyone gets a chance to process theactivities and experiences.With these general comments out of the way, we can now go througheach of the five 2-hour sessions individually. For each one, I present thebasic goal for a given week, identify what materials are to be used duringthat period, and then present a step-by-step procedure to use as a methodof reaching those goals. The handouts and materials are presented in theappendix instead of being included in the text so as to make them easier touse. The one thing that I cannot provide is the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory (MSEI), which must be ordered separately. At the time ofthis writing, the address is Psychological Assessment Resources Inc., 16204North Florida Ave., Lutz, FL 33549, Tel.: 800-331-8378. In theory, theprogram could be run with a simpler instrument, such as Coopersmith’sSelf-Esteem Inventory (1981), because its questions can be divided intothose that concern competence and those that concern worthiness. Also,there is some justification for considering the use of Harter’s scales if one isinterested in a particular age range not covered by the MSEI (Messer &Harter, 1986). However, neither alternative includes a defensiveness scale,which is a crucial one. Of course, using other instruments would certainlyrequire modifying some of the handouts in the program in ways that I havenot tested, so I would consider using alternatives only if necessary.Week 1: Focusing PhaseGoalThe first week is the most important for two reasons; namely, becausepeople usually make the decision about whether to come back at thispoint and because it sets the general tone for the entire program.