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Measuring and Characterizing Unconditional Self-Acceptance

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The Strength of Self-Acceptance

Abstract

The theoretical conceptualization of self-acceptance has been in development for the last century. Early research focused on studying self-acceptance in relation to acceptance of others, whereas more recently researchers have emphasized trying to understand the association of self-acceptance with other aspects of psychological well-being, and the differentiation of self-acceptance from self-esteem. To facilitate empirical work on these issues, a number of measures of unconditional self-acceptance have been developed. Research using one of these measures, the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (USAQ), based on Ellis’s rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) model, has uncovered extensive empirical support for an association of self-acceptance with psychological health. More research is needed, however, on aspects of the reliability and validity of this scale, and more generally on theoretical views of self-acceptance. This chapter will address these issues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, USA

    Martha J. Falkenstein & David A. F. Haaga

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  1. Martha J. Falkenstein
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  2. David A. F. Haaga
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Correspondence to Martha J. Falkenstein .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Michael E. Bernard

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Falkenstein, M.J., Haaga, D.A.F. (2013). Measuring and Characterizing Unconditional Self-Acceptance. In: Bernard, M. (eds) The Strength of Self-Acceptance. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6806-6_9

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