The relationship between parental favoritism and self-esteem in adolescent girls

Abstract

Self-esteem plays a crucial role in the successful formation of self-identity during adolescence. For adolescent girls, self-esteem is particularly influenced by interpersonal relationships, including those within the family. Parental favoritism—characterized by unequal expressions of affection and control—is a form of parental injustice that may impact adolescents' psychological development. This study aimed to examine the relationship between parental favoritism and self-esteem in adolescent girls. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 408 female participants. Parental favoritism was measured using an instrument with two dimensions: affection (α = 0.931) and control (α = 0.897), while self-esteem was assessed using the State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES; α = 0.880). Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical methods. The results of the Spearman Rank Correlation revealed a significant positive relationship between the affection dimension and self-esteem (ρ = 0.293, p < .001), and a significant negative relationship between the control dimension and self-esteem (ρ = –0.103, p = < .05). These findings suggest that parental favoritism is significantly associated with self-esteem among adolescent girls. It is recommended that parents foster acceptance of each child’s unique strengths and limitations, while educators support students in managing personal challenges.

Keywords

• parental favoritism
• self-esteem
• adolescent girls

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