The structure of self-related core beliefs.

Abstract

Self-related core beliefs, reflecting what individuals think about themselves, constitute an important individual difference variable. To date, the literature on the structure of self-related core beliefs is scattered and disconnected, with many approaches developed outside personality psychology. In three studies, the present research presents an integration of existing approaches and an investigation of the underlying structure of self-related core beliefs proposed in these approaches. In the first study, a systematic review identifies existing approaches across subdisciplines. In the second study, a novel natural language processing approach is used to investigate and aggregate the identified beliefs on a semantic level. The third study provides an empirical analysis of the underlying latent structure via network analyses, factor analyses, and exploratory structure equation modeling. Results reveal that the structure of self-related core beliefs can be described on different hierarchical levels, including 97 nuances (e.g., entitled), 20 facets (e.g., rejected), and high-bandwidth dimensions of valence (positive vs. negative), direction (approach vs. withdrawal), and domain (agency, self-esteem, and communion). A structural, network-based model, the CorBel model, is presented which integrates the results. The results of the present research may promote a more comprehensive approach in research and applied settings such as counseling or health prevention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).