Development of subjective well‐being and its relationship with self‐esteem in early adolescence

Abstract

Despite evidence indicating that self‐esteem (SE) may be considered a precondition to subjective well‐being (SWB), there are inconclusive findings regarding its developmental links with SWB. Considering the declines in SWB, the purpose of this study is to examine the developmental changes in SWB and its relationship with SE in early adolescence. The data of 11,231 adolescents aged 11 and 14 years old (50% females) from the Millennium Cohort Study were utilized. Latent mean comparison indicated that SWB declined substantially between 11 and 14 years old in the United Kingdom. Cross‐lagged modelling showed that SWB was developmentally unstable and that SE predicted later changes in SWB, whereas SWB did not predict changes in SE. SWB declines in the United Kingdom are mostly linked to less satisfaction with secondary school contexts and peer relationships. In short, SE is an important factor that can contribute to adolescents' SWB. Implications for educational policy and practice are discussed.

Protective factors for resilience in adolescence: analysis of a longitudinal dataset using the residuals approach

“…For example, internalising MH difficulties are particularly prevalent during the teenage years [ 15 ], impair quality of life, and are concurrently and prospectively associated with academic attainment and a range of other important outcomes [ 16 ]. LS is the most commonly used indicator of subjective wellbeing [ 17 ], declines during adolescence [ 18 , 19 ], and is widely considered to contribute valuable information over and above more direct, health-related measures (such as internalising symptoms) [ 20 ].…”

Person-centred study on higher-order interactions between students’ motivational beliefs and metacognitive self-regulation: Links with school language achievement

“…The above demographics are aligned with population estimates according to national averages [ 54 ]. The present sample is situated within the developmental stage of adolescence, when significant biological (e.g., puberty, brain development), educational (e.g., transitions from primary to secondary school), and relational (e.g., romantic relationships) changes occur [ 55 ]. Thus, the present sample’s developmental characteristics differ from those of previous studies with college students.…”

“It Was a Real Eye-Opener”

“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2021), 14% of adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years-old experience a mental health condition and are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion and stigma. Further, research has found that self-esteem-a precursor to wellbeing-declines between the ages of 11 and 14 (Katsantonis et al, 2023). While Braun (2022) promotes public libraries as an important support for adolescent mental health through their everyday services, there is a groundswell of interest in school libraries fulfilling this role in promoting student wellbeing (Child, 2018;Merga, 2020).…”