Multiple Dimensions of Self-Esteem and Their Relationship with Health in Adolescence

Francesca Pazzaglia, Angelica Moè, Sabrina Cipolletta, Monica Chia, Paola Galozzi, Stefano Masiero and Leonardo Punzi
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Francesca Pazzaglia: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Angelica Moè: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Sabrina Cipolletta: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Monica Chia: Health and Motion Venice Association (HEMOVE), 30122 Venice, Italy
Paola Galozzi: Health and Motion Venice Association (HEMOVE), 30122 Venice, Italy
Stefano Masiero: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation Unit, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
Leonardo Punzi: Health and Motion Venice Association (HEMOVE), 30122 Venice, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine how different domains of self-esteem (social, competence, affect, academic, family, and physical) relate to self-reported physical and mental health, lower back pain (LBP), smoking, and physical exercise in a sample of adolescents. A sample of 326 adolescents 14–19 years old completed several self-report questionnaires collecting epidemiological data, and information on their LBP, smoking, and physical exercise, the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale. Pearson’s correlations were calculated between their self-esteem scores and their physical and mental health scores. Three multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were performed to estimate associations between self-esteem and LBP, smoking, and physical exercise. Self-esteem (total and subcomponent scores) correlated positively with physical and mental health, and with physical exercise, and negatively with smoking. The results also confirm gender-related differences in self-esteem, in favor of boys. This study offers the first findings on the relationship between different domains of self-esteem and a variety of health outcomes in an adolescent population. The results suggest that multidimensional interventions could be devised to improve adolescents’ physical health by promoting their physical exercise, and to prevent their smoking by nurturing their self-esteem.

Keywords: self-esteem; adolescence; lower back pain; physical exercise; smoking; health; wellbeing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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