Associations of psychological distress, sleep, and self-esteem among Kosovar adolescents

Abstract

Mental health among children and adolescents is considered a global public health challenge worldwide. The purpose of this paper was to examine the correlates of psychological distress among adolescents living in Kosovo. A sample of 200 adolescents (M = 10.8; SD = .44) were assessed using a variety of measures, including psychological distress, sleep behaviors, and self-esteem. The research findings indicate significant correlations between electronic use, bedtime fears/worries and insomnia, and higher levels of psychological distress among the study sample. The research results show positive correlations between self-esteem and lower levels of psychological distress. An examination of gender differences revealed that females tended to report higher levels of sleep, whereas males reported higher levels of electronic use and psychological distress. The results are discussed within the context of general health, mental health, and wellbeing among Kosovar children.

Alternative Models Examination and Gender Measurement Invariance of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire among Nigerian Adolescents

“…Higher psychological distress was associated with lower self-esteem in our sample. A similar observation was reported in a recent study that examined the correlates of psychological distress among adolescents in Kosovo [55].…”

Adverse childhood experiences and psychological distress among higher education students in Southeast Nigeria: an institutional-based cross-sectional study

“…Prolonged exposure to emotional abuse and physical abuse during childhood and adolescence is linked to chronic health conditions, emotional health problems, health risk behaviors, and impairs academic/educational attainment in youth [2,61]. Since exposure to emotional and physical abuse occurs during childhood and adolescence, it may have a cumulative effect on the quality of life, life expectancy in adulthood and increase the risk for future chronic diseases [57,62]. This finding is consistent with prior studies [31,32].…”

Does More Sedentary Time Associate With Higher Risks for Sleep Disorder Among Adolescents? A Pooled Analysis

“…The possible explanation is that the older adolescents are more likely to be exposed to heavy academic tasks than younger adolescents and even spend more screen time on academic-related activities for increased academic performance. Academic performance has been linearly associated with self-esteem ( 32 ), and high self-esteem is an important factor linked to lower level of anxiety and sleep disorder ( 33 , 34 ). Another explanation is that younger adolescents are more susceptible to screen use (e.g., TV, electronic games) compared to older adolescents ( 35 ).…”