Anxiousness, Self-esteem, and Anxiety: Which Variable is a Predictor?

Abstract

The paper deals with the issue on the relations of self-esteem, anxiousness and anxiety at teenagers. The aim of the research was to identify the influence of anxiousness on self-esteem and influence of self-esteem on anxiety within a sample of adolescents and intersexual difference in variables. The research sample consisted of 2 374 adolescents (females n = 1149) out of which 356 suffer from the symptoms of anxiety disorders (ADS; females n= 263). The variables were gained through the revised Rosenberg self-esteem scale and SUDS scales for anxiousness and anxiety findings. Using statistical analyses it was found that females reached a lower average score in self-esteem (t = 10.512; p <.001) and a higher average score in anxiousness (t = 10.132; p <.001). Similar results were achieved also at the sample of adolescents in variables of self-esteem (t = 3.611; p <.001) and anxiety (t = 5.845; p <.001). Furthermore, was found that there is a statistically significant predictable relation between research variables: anxiousness is a predictor of self-esteem (F = 2495.490, p<.001) at a non-ADS sample of respondents, whereby ADS respondents´ self-esteem is a significant predictor of anxiety (F = 83.810, p<.001).