The role of positive affect in the relationship between neuroticism, self-esteem, and emotional clarity in adolescents

Abstract

Introduction – The relationship between neuroticism and emotional clarity has been a prominent topic of research in the context of adult development and well-being. However, there is a scarcity of studies examining this relationship in adolescents, especially those that consider the protective roles of self-esteem and positive affect. Objective – The primary aim of this study was to analyze how positive affect and self-esteem influence the associations between neuroticism and emotional clarity in adolescents, assessing both mediating and moderating effects. Method – A sample of 742 secondary school adolescents (aged 13–19) completed the Neuroticism subscale from the Big Five Inventory, the Emotional Clarity subscale of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Positive Affect Scale. Results – The analyses confirmed the four hypotheses. Self-esteem acted as a statistical mediator in the relationship between neuroticism and emotional clarity, such that higher levels of neuroticism were associated with lower self-esteem, which in turn was associated with lower emotional clarity. Positive affect moderated both the relationship between neuroticism and emotional clarity and the relationship between neuroticism and self-esteem, attenuating the strength of these negative associations. The integrated model combining the mediation and moderation 36 effects showed a good fit, supporting the proposed theoretical framework. Conclusion – These findings indicate that the negative associations between neuroticism, self-esteem, and emotional clarity may be less pronounced among adolescents with higher levels of positive affect. Although the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inference, the results highlight the potential relevance of self-esteem and positive affect as psychological resources in adolescents with high neuroticism. These findings also underscore the importance of promoting positive emotional experiences and strengthening self-esteem as strategies for enhancing emotional well-being, with clear preventive potential for adolescents with high emotional vulnerability.