I am not an authority but this is my reasoning:

self-esteem is a noun
esteem is a noun/ it is used as an adjective to describe someone who deserves esteem
but since self-esteem only has one member in the audience...who will be calling the person "self" esteemed?
it just doesn't make sense to me

in other words, I am self-esteemed by myself?

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Note added at 38 mins (2005-03-29 23:21:56 GMT)
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you could say
he exhibits self-esteem
he suffers from a lack of self-esteem
his self-esteem has been raised

HTH

Since I've run out of room for debating this with Robert in the comment box I'll continue here :)

As we are all aware language evolves, while we try to catch up with it. The question here isn't really about whether such a word "exists" or not (clearly it does) but whether it is correct and already accepted into the (correct version of) language, which I do not think it is yet.

A quick google search would suggest that this is a word used on various forums, where people do not tend to use correct English.

Living in the UK, which has been slightly more conservative than the States in terms of adopting new words, I've always viewed these kind of "not-yet-acceptable" words as American simplifications ("couple things" instead of "a couple of things" etc etc ad nauseum) and I think this is just another one of those. I would imagine that my children will have no hesitation about using this word, but I do!

"self-esteem" is a noun. "self-esteemed" is sometimes used as an adjective.

Am I doing anything to unintentionally attract low-self-esteemed women?"
"Our culture is ridiculous with plastic surgery," she said. "We're creating a culture of low self-esteemed people."
Although we might question his characterizing the self-esteemed individual as childlike, Emerson maintains that children provide models of self-reliant behavior because they are too young to be cynical, hesitant, or hypocritical.

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Note added at 22 mins (2005-03-29 23:06:16 GMT)
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es·teem (¹-st¶m“) tr.v. es·teemed, es·teem·ing, es·teems. 1. To regard with respect; prize. See Synonyms at appreciate. 2. To regard as; consider: esteemed it an honor to help them. --es·teem n. 1. Favorable regard. See Synonyms at regard. 2. Archaic. Judgment; opinion. [Middle English estemen, to appraise, from Old French estimer, from Latin aestim³re.]

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Note added at 1 hr 2 mins (2005-03-29 23:45:36 GMT)
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Final word...\"self-esteemed\" lives, Can stipulated as much. I found it in use. I am willing to stipulate both that it is not an attractive choice, and that the idea may be stated better. I am a sufficiently self-esteemed person that I can handle (and invite) constructive criticism. :-)

Self estime
Self estimation
www.thefreedictionary.com/selfestimation

Or:

maybe:
the estimed Mr Joe Bloggs

both can be used it depends on the context