Predictive Influence of Irrational Beliefs on Self-esteem of University Students with Late Blindness

Poor self-esteem is a major threat to the well-being of individuals with late blindness. The influence of irrational beliefs on the self-esteem of Nigerian university students with late blindness was investigated in the present study. Data were collected from 363 university students with late blindness using Brailed versions of Adapted General Attitude and Belief Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Pearlin Mastery Scale. Data collected were analyzed using regression analysis. The results among others provided empirical support for general rational/irrational beliefs score as a significant predictor of students’ self-esteem. Results further revealed that the four dimensions of irrational beliefs [demandingness (DEM), awfulizing/catastrophizing (AWF), self downing (SD) and frustration intolerance] were related to self-esteem among university students with late blindness. The relationships of DEM, AWF, and SD with self-esteem were negatively significant, while FI did not have a significant relationship with self-esteem. Total irrationality score, as well as three of the four irrational beliefs dimensions (DEM, AWF, and SD), predicted self-esteem significantly in a negative direction such that high DEM, AWF, and SD accounted for poor self-esteem. Sense of mastery, gender, and age at onset of blindness moderated the influences of irrational beliefs dimensions on the self-esteem. It was concluded that the self-esteem of students decreases at a significant level as the level of irrational beliefs increases, and the opposite is implied when their irrational beliefs decrease.