[Three types of self-esteem: its characteristic differences of contingency and contentment of sources of self-esteem].

Previous research and theory (Crocker & Wolfe, 2001; Kernis, 2003) suggests that adaptive self-esteem stems from just being oneself, and is characterized by a sense of authenticity (SOA). Maladaptive self-esteem is derived from meeting external standards and social comparisons, and is characterized by a sense of superiority (SOS). Thus, the qualitative difference between SOA and SOS depends on the sources of self-esteem.

[Differentiating narcissism and self-esteem: comparison of their relationship with self-acceptance].

This study examined the common and different factors of self-esteem, narcissism, and social phobia from the perspective of self-acceptance. Japanese undergraduates (N = 267) completed a questionnaire that assessed narcissism, social phobic tendency, self-esteem, and self-acceptance. Three aspects of self-acceptance were measured: definite evaluation of self-features, self-acceptance for each features of the self, and subjective estimation of their own self-acceptance evaluations by others.