The relationship between family functioning and self‑esteem in female high school students of Isfahan, Iran, in 2013–2014

Background: One of the most critical periods of the life of a person is adolescence. During this period, individuals face many problems such as low self‑esteem. Self‑esteem can be influenced by many factors such as school, friends, and inner personality, but it seems that the family has a crucial role in shaping self‑esteem. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between family functioning and self‑esteem in female high school students in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive correlational study was performed with multi‑stage random sampling method on 237 female high school students who met the inclusion criteria of the study. The data collection tools included Bloom’s Family Functioning Scale and Pop’s self‑esteem questionnaire. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed through SPSS software. Results: The results showed that the majority of the samples examined had moderate level self‑esteem (48.5%) and family function (56.5%). There was a significant correlation between the dimensions of family functioning and areas of self‑esteem (except for lack of independence, and public, academic, and physical self‑esteem). In addition, the correlation between family aspirations and self‑esteem (r = 0.636, P < 0.01) was higher than other variables. Moreover, across the dimensions of family functioning, a significant negative correlation was found between the lack of independence and the family self‑esteem subscale. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that adolescents’ self‑esteem is highly correlated with their family’s performance. Therefore, to enhance the self‑esteem of adolescents, family‑centered empowerment programs should be planned and implemented by health service providers, especially nurses, in order to improve and enhance family functioning.