B-43: Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Processing Speed, and Long-Term Retrieval in Children to Young Adults

Abstract

Objective: Self-esteem has been shown to influence children and young adults’ emotional, social, and cognitive development, including learning and memory. Because processing speed and long-term retrieval are critical in encoding and accessing information, they may be influenced by individual differences in self-esteem. This research aims to determine the correlations among the self-esteem measure on the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3), cognitive processing speed, and long-term retrieval measures on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities IV (WJ IV COG). Method/Data Selection: This study used archival data in an outpatient clinical setting. The sample consisted of 81 participants aged 3 to 21 (n=50 male, n=31 female). White 37%, Black 13.6%, Native American 2.5%, MENA 1.2%, and 45% other or unknown. Participants sought comprehensive psychological evaluations in an outpatient setting. Data was derived from a pre-existing, de-identified clinical outpatient database. This database includes information gathered from various assessments administered and clinical interviews conducted. For analysis, participants completed the BASC-3, and cognitive processing speed and long-term retrieval measures on WJ IV COG were included. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s R product-moment correlations. Results/Data Synthesis: Pearson’s R product-moment correlations were significant between self-esteem and long-term retrieval (r = -0.427; p = 0.017), self-esteem and cognitive processing speed (r = -0.383; p = 0.029), and long-term retrieval and cognitive processing speed (r = 0.520; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Self-esteem was significantly negatively correlated with long-term retrieval and cognitive processing speed on neuropsychological tests. This indicates that youth’s ability to self-evaluate may contribute to mental processes that influence learning and memory, as well as their ability to manipulate and comprehend information. Future research is warranted to examine how psychosocial factors, such as self-esteem, interact with children’s cognitive performance. Accounting for the influence of psychosocial factors should be acknowledged when interpreting neuropsychological tests.