Self-esteem: A Quantitative Study Among Teachers in Sabah, Malaysia

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-esteem among 69 teachers who responded to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale on Google Forms. Data were subsequently transferred onto a spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Mann-Whitney U test was run to determine if significant gender differences existed in teacher self-esteem, while Kruskal-Wallis H test was conducted to determine if significant differences existed in terms of age and work experience. Wilcoxon signed rank test was conducted to determine if significant differences existed in the self-esteem items according to a hypothesized value of 3.5. Percentages of agreement (strongly agree and agree) were collapsed to gain an overview on teacher self-esteem. Findings revealed nonsignificant gender and age differences in self-esteem; however, significant differences were found in terms of job experience. Additionally, findings showed that nine out of 10 self-esteem items were significantly different at p < 0.001. About 84 percent of teachers admitted that they tend to be able to do things as well as most other people, while another 88 percent felt that they tend to be persons of worth, at least on an equal plane with others. Lastly, 93 percent maintained that they tend to have a lot of respect for themselves as well as having a positive attitude toward themselves. In light of the findings, some recommendations were made on how to enhance teacher self-esteem in Sabah, Malaysia.