The Role of Self-Esteem and Social Support on Emotional Behavioral Problems Among Grade 12 Students

Abstract

The study investigated how self-esteem and social support influence emotional behavioral problems in Grade 12 students, involving 212 participants in a quantitative-correlational design. Results indicated generally high levels of self-esteem and social support, especially in domains such as social acceptance, school satisfaction, and self-assessment for self-esteem, as well as support from various sources including parents, relatives, adults, siblings, and peers. Emotional behavioral problems were largely low, encompassing factors like anxiousness, academic issues, aggression, social withdrawal, feelings of rejection, and psychosomatic problems. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was found between self-esteem and emotional behavioral problems with the influence of 1.9%, but a notable link existed with social support with the influence of 16.4%, highlighting its importance in fostering a positive environment. Limitations include potential biases in self-report measures, limited generalizability, and the absence of qualitative data. Future research should delve into underlying factors and develop interventions to enhance social support systems in educational settings for better mental health outcomes among students.