nach oben

Quality of Life Research

Erschienen in:

01.12.2013

Self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents—gender and age as potential moderators

verfasst von: Unni K. Moksnes, Geir A. Espnes

Erschienen in: Quality of Life Research | Ausgabe 10/2013

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Purpose

The present paper investigated gender differences on life satisfaction and self-esteem as well as the association between self-esteem and life satisfaction in Norwegian adolescents aged 13–18 years. The potential moderating role of gender and age in the relation between self-esteem and life satisfaction was also investigated.

Methods

A total of 1,239 adolescents from public elementary and secondary schools in mid-Norway participated in the school-based survey study. Mean score differences on the variables used in the study were tested using t tests. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between self-esteem and life satisfaction, controlled for gender, age, stress, subjective health, and chronic health conditions.

Results

The results showed that boys scored higher than girls on both self-esteem and life satisfaction. Self-esteem was positively associated with life satisfaction, explaining 24 % of the variance. However, no interaction effect of gender × self-esteem or age × self-esteem was found in relation to life satisfaction.

Conclusion

The results give support for that boys report higher self-esteem and life satisfaction than girls. Self-esteem has a positive role in association with adolescents’ life satisfaction, and this relationship is equally strong for both genders and across age.

Oberle, E., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Zumbo, B. D. (2011). Life satisfaction in early adolescence: Personal, neighbourhood, school, family, and peer influences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 889–901.PubMedCrossRef

Proctor, C. L., Linley, P. A., & Maltby, J. (2009). Youth life satisfaction: A review of the literature. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 583–630.CrossRef

Goldbeck, L., Schmitz, T. G., Besier, T., Herschbach, P., & Henrich, G. (2007). Life satisfaction decreases during adolescence. Quality of Life Research, 16, 969–979.PubMedCrossRef

Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (2008). The satisfaction with life scale and the emerging construct of life satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 137–152.CrossRef

Proctor, C. L., Linley, P. A., & Maltby, J. (2009). Youth life satisfaction measures: A review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 128–144.CrossRef

Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993). Review of the satisfaction with life scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 164–172.CrossRef

Moksnes, U. K., Løhre, A., & Espnes, G. A. (2012). The association between sense of coherence and life satisfaction in adolescents. Quality of Life Research,. doi:10.1007/s11136-012-0249-9.PubMed

Park, N. (2004). The role of subjective well-being in positive youth development. The Annals of the American Academy, 591, 25–39.CrossRef

Salmela-Aro, K., & Tuominen-Soini, H. (2010). Adolescents’ life satisfaction during the transition to post-comprehensive education: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 683–701.CrossRef

10.

Gilman, R., & Huebner, S. (2006). Characteristics of adolescents who report very high life satisfaction. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 311–319.CrossRef

11.

Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

12.

Erol, R. Y., & Orth, U. (2011). Self-esteem development from age 14 to 30 years: A longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101, 607–619.PubMedCrossRef

13.

Räty, L. K. A., Larsson, G., Söderfeldt, B. A., & Wilde Larsson, B. M. (2005). Psychosocial aspects of health in adolescence: The influence of gender, and general self-concept. Journal of Adolescent Health, 36, 530. e21–530. e28.CrossRef

14.

Diener, E., & Diener, M. (1995). Cross-cultural correlates of life satisfaction and self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 653–663.PubMedCrossRef

15.

Civitci, N., & Civitci, A. (2009). Self-esteem as mediator and moderator of the relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction in adolescents. Personality and Individual Differences, 47, 954–958.CrossRef

16.

Moksnes, U. K., Moljord, I. E. O., Espnes, G. A., & Byrne, D. G. (2010). The association between stress and emotional states in adolescents: The role of gender and self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 430–435.CrossRef

17.

Derdikman-Eiron, R., Indredavik, M. S., Bratberg, G. H., Taraldsen, G., Bakken, I. J., & Colton, M. (2011). Gender differences in subjective well-being, self-esteem and psychosocial functioning in adolescents symptoms of anxiety and depression: Findings from the Nord- Trøndelag health study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 52, 261–267.PubMedCrossRef

18.

Baldwin, S. A., & Hoffmann, J. P. (2002). The dynamics of self-esteem: A growth curve analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31, 101–103.CrossRef

19.

Birkeland, M. S., Melkevik, O., Holsen, I., & Wold, B. (2012). Trajectories of global self-esteem development during adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 35, 43–54.PubMedCrossRef

20.

Young, J. F., & Mroczek, D. K. (2003). Predicting intra-individual self-concept trajectories during adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 26, 586–600.CrossRef

21.

Robins, R. W., Trzesniewski, K. H., Tracy, J. L., Gosling, S. D., & Potter, J. (2002). Global self-esteem across the life span. Psychology and Aging, 17, 423–434.PubMedCrossRef

22.

Arslan, C., Hamarta, E., & Uslu, M. (2010). The relationship between conflict communication, self-esteem and life satisfaction in university students. Educational Research and Reviews, 5, 31–34.

23.

Suldo, S. M., & Huebner, S. (2006). Is extremely high life satisfaction during adolescence advantageous? Social Indicators Research, 78, 179–203.CrossRef

24.

Moksnes, U. K., & Espnes, G. A. (2012). Self-esteem and emotional health in adolescents–gender and age as potential moderators. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 53, 483–489.PubMedCrossRef

25.

Orth, U., Robins, R. W., Trzesniewski, K. H., Maes, J., & Schmitt, M. (2009). Low self-esteem is a risk factor for depressive symptoms from young adulthood to old age. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118, 472–478.PubMedCrossRef

26.

Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2008). Does adolescent self-esteem predict later life outcomes? A test of the causal role of self-esteem. Development and Psychopathology, 20, 319–339.PubMedCrossRef

27.

Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality and Assessment, 49, 71–75.CrossRef

28.

Chiu, L.-H. (1988). Testing the test: Measures of self-esteem for school age children. Journal of Counseling and Development, 66, 298–301.CrossRef

29.

Gray-Little, B., Williams, V. S. L., & Hancock, T. D. (1997). An item response theory analysis of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 443–451.CrossRef

30.

Dieserud, G., Roysamb, E., Ekeberg, O., & Kraft, P. (2001). Toward an integrative model of suicide attempt: A cognitive psychological approach. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 3, 153–168.CrossRef

31.

Byrne, D. G., Davenport, S. C., & Mazanov, J. (2007). Profiles of adolescent stress: The development of the adolescent stress questionnaire (ASQ). Journal of Adolescence, 30, 393–416.PubMedCrossRef

32.

Moksnes, U. K., Byrne, D. G., Mazanov, J., & Espnes, G. A. (2010). Adolescent stress: Evaluation of the factor structure of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51, 203–209.PubMedCrossRef

33.

Moksnes, U. K., & Espnes, G. A. (2011). Evaluation of the Norwegian version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2011(52), 601–608.CrossRef

34.

Haugland, S., & Wold, B. (2001). Subjective health complaints in adolescence—Reliability and validity of survey methods. Journal of Adolescence, 24, 611–624.PubMedCrossRef

35.

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

36.

Schimmack, U., & Oishi, S. (2005). The influence of chronically and temporarily accessible information on life satisfaction judgements. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 395–406.PubMedCrossRef

37.

Piko, B. F., & Hamvai, C. (2010). Parent, school and peer-related correlates of adolescents’ life satisfaction. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 1479–1482.CrossRef

38.

Orth, U., Robins, R. W., & Widaman, K. F. (2011). Life-span development of self-esteem and its effects on important life outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26, 1–18.

39.

Natvig, G. K., Hanestad, B. R., & Samdal, O. (2006). The role of the student: Salutogenic or pathogenic. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 12, 280–287.PubMedCrossRef

Titel: Self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents—gender and age as potential moderators
verfasst von: Unni K. Moksnes
Geir A. Espnes
Publikationsdatum: 01.12.2013
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in: Quality of Life Research / Ausgabe 10/2013
Print ISSN: 0962-9343
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-2649
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0427-4

Springer Medizin

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Bitte loggen Sie sich ein, um Zugang zu diesem Inhalt zu erhalten

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 10/2013

Self-rated health and life satisfaction among Canadian adults: associations of perceived weight status versus BMI

Health-related quality of life and comorbidity among older women veterans in the United States

Quality of life and time perspective in inflammatory bowel disease patients

Informatively missing quality of life and unmet needs sex data for immigrant and Anglo-Australian cancer patients and survivors

Mindfulness: a systematic review of instruments to measure an emergent patient-reported outcome (PRO)

Psychometric evaluation of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire and Visual Function Questionnaire Utility Index in patients with non-infectious intermediate and posterior uveitis