The role of self-esteem in the development of psychiatric problems: a three-year prospective study in a clinical sample of adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundSelf-esteem is fundamentally linked to mental health, but its’ role in trajectories of psychiatric problems is unclear. In particular, few studies have addressed the role of self-esteem in the development of attention problems. Hence, we examined the role of global self-esteem in the development of symptoms of anxiety/depression and attention problems, simultaneously, in a clinical sample of adolescents while accounting for gender, therapy, and medication.MethodsLongitudinal data were obtained from a sample of 201 adolescents—aged 13–18—referred to the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Trondheim, Norway. In the baseline study, self-esteem, and symptoms of anxiety/depression and attention problems were measured by means of self-report. Participants were reassessed 3 years later, with a participation rate of 77% in the clinical sample.ResultsAnalyses showed that high self-esteem at baseline predicted fewer symptoms of both anxiety/depression and attention problems 3 years later after controlling for prior symptom levels, gender, therapy (or not), and medication.ConclusionsResults highlight the relevance of global self-esteem in the clinical practice, not only with regard to emotional problems, but also to attention problems. Implications for clinicians, parents, and others are discussed.

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

“…Self-esteem might serve as a protective factor, as a moderator, mediator or simply a result of emotional well-being or difficulties [3]. Based on the previous findings and above mentioned ideas, anxiousness as a personal characteristic is a predictor of self-esteem, whereby self-esteem influences anxiety (generalized or specific) [19]. Based on this fact, two objectives of the work were identified: finding of a relation between anxiousness and selfesteem, and a relation of self-esteem and anxiety [4].…”

“…Currently, along with a psychological construct self-esteem, the studies on anxiety and anxiety disorder have been widely discussed and their correlated risks and protective factors by the scientists mediating relation of personality variables to the relation of anxiety to other illnesses or personality constructs; as well as to the impacts of anxiety disorders and a high level of anxiety for experiencing, behaviour or personality of an individual and the research of moderators or mediators or impacts of treatments or psychological and therapeutic interventions on particularly diagnosed disorder and/ or other indicators of the quality of life of an individual with anxiety disorder [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. We can also state that the studies on anxiety and anxiety disorders have been carried out throughout many cohorts of population, e.g.…”

“…We can also state that the studies on anxiety and anxiety disorders have been carried out throughout many cohorts of population, e.g. within the application of ontogenetic specification at cohort: children adolescents adults or the clinical point of view at cohort: patients diagnosed by anxiety disorder-patients diagnosed with other illness according to ICD-10-non-clinical sample [11,13,18,19,22,[24][25][26][27].…”

“…Interconnection of psychological construct of self-esteem and anxiety and/or anxiety disorder is in available studies quite frequent, that is mainly in a level of self-efficacy research (and its variability) at people with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder/any type of anxiety disorder whereby the conclusions point at the interconnection of the low self-esteem with anxiety disorder [13,3,19,4].…”

Samopoštovanje I Prilagodba Na Studij: Da Li Studenti Višeg Nivoa Samopoštovanja Imaju Bolju Emocionalnu, Socijalnu I Akademsku Prilagodbu?

“…Iako navedeni nalaz nije tako čest u istraživanjima prilagodbe, on ne predstavlja iznenađenje jer samopoštovanje može različito uticati na doživljavanje različitih emocionalnih iskustava. Također, studenti koji imaju niže samopoštovanje često imaju i više emocionalnih problema od osoba sa višim samopoštovanjem (Henriksen, Ranøyen, Indredavik, & Stenseng, 2017;Leary, Schreindorfer, & Haupt, 1995).…”