Self-esteem links with anxiety and depression at one community adolescent sample

Abstract

IntroductionAnxiety and depression is becoming an increasingly important public health issue. The adolescents’ population is among affected seriously.ObjectivesThe objectives of the study was to investigate the level of anxiety, depression and self-esteem among adolescents and explore links between.MethodologyParticipants were 99 adolescents randomly selected in school, aged between 12 to 19 years (M = 14.88; SD = 2.09); in terms of gender composition, there were girls 41.1% and boys 58.9%. The measures used included the Albanian versions of depression self-rating scale for children, the revised children's manifest anxiety scale, and the rosenberg self-esteem scale. All data has been analysed by SPSS 21 and Excel 2007.ResultsResults showed that clinical significant levels reported 10.3% of participants for anxiety and 22.4% for depression. With low self-esteem scored 16.3% of participants. Self-esteem is significantly negatively correlated only with depression (r = -.433, P < .00). Mann-Whitney Test didn’t found significant differences in anxiety based on self-esteem levels. Mann-Whitney Test found significant differences in depression levels based on levels of self-esteem (Mdlowself-esteem = 15; n = 16; Mdnormalself-esteem = 10; n = 81) as adolescents with low self-esteem had significantly higher depression as compared to adolescents with normal self-esteem (z = -2.876, P < .004).ConclusionsFindings suggested that self-esteem and depression links are present but not links self-esteem and anxiety. It is important to investigate these relationships in future research aimed identification/interventions programs.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.