Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40160552›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

Take a step back to see your own value: on the role of metacognition in self-esteem regulation.

Lena Rader, Saskia Doreen Forster, Siegfried Gauggel, Barbara Drueke, Verena Mainz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lena RaderInstitute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Saskia Doreen ForsterInstitute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Siegfried GauggelInstitute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Barbara Drueke *Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Verena Mainz *Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: When self-esteem is threatened (e.g., by social rejection), people regulate it through self-enhancement, self-protection, or self-affirmation. High self-esteem individuals use functional strategies like self-affirmation and self-enhancement, while those with low self-esteem rely more on self-protection strategies. This study explored whether decentering, a metacognitive process, aids in accessing resources and promoting functional self-esteem regulation. Methods: 1,100 participants (age 18-65, 72% female) completed questionnaires online. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether decentering mediates the association between self-esteem and self-enhancement, self-affirmation and self-protection. Results: Self-esteem positively predicted decentering, which promoted self-affirmation and self-enhancement. The decentering factor Discussion: These findings suggest that enhancing decentering could improve self-esteem regulation and inform therapeutic interventions. Strengthening an accepting self-perception may help individuals with low self-esteem adopt protective strategies. Fostering a distanced perspective could further promote self-affirmation, leading to better mental health outcomes.

Indexed as

decenteringself-affirmationself-enhancementself-esteemself-protection

Identifiers

PMID40160552
PMCPMC11949939

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.