Assessment of Self-Esteem and its Correlation with Happiness in Adolescents

Abstract

Assessment of Self-Esteem and its Correlation with Happiness in Adolescents Bharat Reddy, Shailaja Mane, Sharad R Agarkhedkar 1Resident, 2Professor, 3Professor and Head of Department of Paediatrics, Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune , Maharashtra, India. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.2880.201907 Background: Adolescence is critical process allowing individual to leave childhood and enter into autonomous adulthood. Self-esteem has a strong relation to happiness, health and well-being. Although the research has not clearly established causation, we are persuaded that high self-esteem does lead to greater happiness. Low self-esteem is more likely to lead to depression. Most of the research till date was conducted in adult population, very few studies are on adolescents. Objective: Assessment of self-esteem and correlate with psychological well-being in adolescents. Methods: 400 school going adolescents were enrolled and questionnaire regarding self-esteem and happiness score were given, later assessed and correlated. Result: Majority of students (84%) were having moderate self-esteem score; 53.75% had normal happiness score. Mean self-esteem score was increasing with age, girls were having more self-esteem score than boys. Significant positive correlation was observed between self-esteem score and happiness score. Conclusion: Adolescents with high self-esteem are happier than adolescent with low self-esteem. Improvement in self-esteem will be useful to reduce mental health issues in teenagers.