The effect of the assessment center process on the self-esteem of participants

Abstract

Effects of the Assessment tenter process on participants’ self-esteem were examined and related to past research and traditional self-esteem theories. Thirty-nine sales representatives were assessed for career-development potential at a large midwestern pharmaceutical company. It was proposed, in accord with consistency theory, that high and low self-esteem participants would show post assessment self-esteem change scores in the direction of their initial level of self-esteem. A two-group, pre-post design was employed resulting in significant changes for high and low self-esteem participants.The implications of the present findings for the use of assessment center methodology and future research needs were discussed.