Abstract

Authors:
Ms. Noor-ul-ain Naeem- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Dr. Shawn Bediako- University of Maryland, Baltimore County
 
Objective: People living with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience pain, frequent hospitalizations, and social disruptions that challenge their self-esteem. However, very little is known about positive aspects of self-esteem and the way in which it contributes to patient perceptions about SCD. Method: This study explored the association between self-esteem and its perceived life impact among 121 adults (72 females; mean age = 24.5 years) who participated in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease. Results: A multiple regression analysis showed that self-esteem accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the perceived life impact of SCD [r2 = .08, F (1, 114) = 10.31, p = .002], after adjusting for gender and health locus of control (i.e., how much patients believed that their health is due to internal, external, or chance factors). Higher levels of self-esteem were positively related to a more favorable perception of the disease’s impact on one’s life, over and above the variance accounted for by gender and health locus of control. Conclusion: The results suggest the possibility that an affirming self-evaluation might positively influence SCD patients' perceptions about the impact of the disease on their lives.