IT WAS THEORISED THAT SELF-ESTEEM DEVELOPS AS A PRODUCT OF BEING REWARDED BY AGENTS OF SOCIALISATION. THUS, THERE SHOULD BE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-ESTEEM AND A SENSE OF FAITH IN AND ONENESS WITH THE SOCIAL ORDER AMONG THE GENERAL ADOLESCENT SCHOOL POPULATION. AMONG DELINQUENT YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY AGENTS OF SOCIALISATION, SELF-ESTEEM SHOULD CONVERSELY DEPEND UPON A SENSE OF ALIENATION FROM THE SOCIAL ORDER. THIS HYPOTHESIS WAS SUPPORTED BY A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN SELF-ESTEEM AND ANOMIA AMONG 109 INCARCERATED ADOLESCENTS. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND OTHER YOUTH WORKERS WERE DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)