The mediating effect of self-esteem on emerging adults’ materialism and anxiety

Abstract

World Health Organization (WHO) announced that anxiety disorders are ranked as the sixth-largest contributor to non-fatal health loss globally, and these disorders are most prevalent during a human’s emerging adulthood period. Emerging adulthood is an individual’s life stage that roughly lasts from ages 18 to 25. This study aims to find out the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between materialism and anxiety of emerging adults living in Yogyakarta. For data collection, we used a quota sampling technique which involved 332 emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years. Participants were measured with Richins and Dawson’s Materialistic Value Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. These scales were distributed to the research participants via online questionnaires. A causal step approach was used in mediation regression analysis to test the hypothesis. Research results showed that the hypothesis was accepted: self-esteem partially mediated materialism and anxiety, although the mediation was minimal.