Personality, self-esteem, and demographic predictions of happiness and depression

Abstract

This paper examines correlations and causes of happiness and depression among adolescents. Personality, self-esteem, “aspects of life”, affect, depression, and happiness were all measured by self-report and the data explored through using multiple regression. In all 234 participants (mean age=18.23 years) completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Positive Affect; Negative Affect; and Affect Balance Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Oxford Happiness Inventory. Results indicated that extraversion was significantly correlated with positive affect, negative affect, depression, and happiness ( r=0.27, r=−0.22, r=−0.39, r=0.45; P<0.01 to P<0.001) and neuroticism significantly correlated with positive affect, negative affect, depression, and happiness to a similar degree ( r=−0.24, r=0.35, r=0.53, r=−0.43; P<0.001). Self-esteem and relationship with parents had a direct predictive power on happiness ( β=0.49, P<0.001; β=0.18, P<0.05) and the opposite relationship with depression ( β=−0.39, P<0.001; β=−0.22, P<0.01) whereas extraversion and neuroticism predicted happiness and depression mediating through self-esteem ( β=0.23, P<0.01; β=−0.47, P<0.001). Further, for depression, sex also showed direct predictive power ( β=0.20, P<0.01). The “path model” which resulted from the analysis showed clearly the differences in the personality, self-esteem, and demographic predictions of happiness as opposed to depression.