Understanding instability of daily self-esteem in adolescents: temporal reliability and concurrent and longitudinal relations to depressive and anxious symptoms
| Author(s) | Mlawer, Fanny | |
| Date Accessioned | 2023-10-09T17:51:44Z | |
| Date Available | 2023-10-09T17:51:44Z | |
| Publication Date | 2023 | |
| SWORD Update | 2023-09-20T19:09:45Z | |
| Abstract | Though much of the research on self-esteem has focused on level of self-esteem, a growing body of research has examined implications of self-esteem instability, or the degree to which an individual’s self-esteem tends to fluctuate across relatively short time periods. Existing research suggests that self-esteem instability and internalizing symptoms are related. However, this linkage has seldom been explored in adolescence, and little is known about how these constructs are related over time. The current study addressed three questions: 1) How consistent is the construct of self-esteem instability during adolescence? 2) Is daily self-esteem instability positively related to depressive symptoms, but unrelated to anxious symptoms in mid-adolescence, as our previous research found during early adolescence? 3) Does self-esteem instability in early adolescence predict internalizing symptoms in mid-adolescence, do internalizing symptoms in early adolescence predict self-esteem instability in mid-adolescence, or are relations between the two constructs bidirectional across this age span? ☐ The current project used data collected at two time points [Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2)]. At T1, the Hubbard Lab collected data from 150 adolescents in the 7th or 8th grade. During a home visit, adolescents reported on their internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety). In addition, adolescents completed an online daily diary each evening for 12 consecutive evenings, in which they reported on their daily self-esteem. ☐ At T2, the Hubbard Lab collected data from 147 adolescents in the 10th or 11th grade. Participants included 82 of the 150 adolescents from T1, plus 65 additional adolescents from the same cohort. During a lab visit, adolescents reported on their internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety). In addition, adolescents completed an online daily diary each evening for 14 consecutive evenings, in which they reported on their daily self-esteem. ☐ For Question 1, we hypothesized that the extent to which adolescents’ self-esteem fluctuates day-to-day at age 13 would not differ from the extent to which their self-esteem fluctuates day-to-day at age 15. For Question 2, we hypothesized that daily self-esteem instability would be positively related to depressive symptoms but unrelated to anxious symptoms at age 15, mirroring our results at age 13. For Question 3, we hypothesized that stronger support would emerge for the vulnerability model (earlier self-esteem instability predicting later internalizing symptoms) than the scar model (earlier internalizing symptoms predicting later self-esteem instability), particularly for depressive symptoms. ☐ Findings for Question 1 were in line with our hypothesis; self-esteem instability remained consistent between the ages of 13 and 15. However, results for Questions 2 and 3 were in contrast to our hypotheses. For Question 2, instability of daily self-esteem was positively linked to anxious but not depressive symptoms at age 15. For Question 3, results provide support for the scar model and not the vulnerability model; moreover, the scar model was supported for anxious symptoms but not depressive symptoms. ☐ Findings are discussed in the context of developmental trends in both self-concept formation and internalizing symptoms. In addition, we discuss implications for advancing our understanding of cross-sectional and longitudinal relations between self-esteem instability and internalizing symptoms. | |
| Advisor | Hubbard, Julie A. | |
| Degree | Ph.D. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.58088/czkb-cp63 | |
| Unique Identifier | 1409217125 | |
| URL | https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/33500 | |
| Language | en | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | |
| URI | https://login.udel.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/understanding-instability-daily-self-esteem/docview/2867903781/se-2?accountid=10457 | |
| Keywords | Adolescents | |
| Keywords | Temporal reliability | |
| Keywords | Longitudinal relations | |
| Keywords | Internalizing symptoms | |
| Keywords | Depressive symptoms | |
| Title | Understanding instability of daily self-esteem in adolescents: temporal reliability and concurrent and longitudinal relations to depressive and anxious symptoms | |
| Type | Thesis |