The Relationship Between University Students’ Self‐Esteem Levels and Their Attitudes Toward Violence: A Descriptive and Cross‐Sectional Study

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between university students’ self‐esteem and their attitudes toward violence. Method: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with the participation of 1439 students studying at the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Health Sciences of a university. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Attitude Toward Violence Scale, and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale. Results: The average age of the students was 20.44 ± 1.84 years, 74.8% were women, 97% had a high level of self‐esteem, and the average Attitude Toward Violence Scale score was 230.98 ± 18.19. There was a significant negative relationship between students’ Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale scores and Attitude Toward Violence Scale scores ( r = −0.127). In addition, there were negative significant relationships between the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale score averages and the score averages for all subdimensions of Attitude Toward Violence Scale. The correlation coefficients were highest for making violence a usual subdimension thing ( r = −0.165) and lowest for the different dimensions of the violence subdimension ( r = −0.039). In the regression analysis, negative family and friend relationships and being exposed to/witnessing verbal violence were significant predictors of self‐esteem. Self‐esteem, emotional violence, relationships with friends, and being exposed to/witnessing physical were significant predictors of attitudes toward violence. Conclusion: As a result of this research, as students’ self‐esteem increased, their attitudes toward violence became more positive in terms of disapproving violence.