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Self-criticism and self-esteem in early adolescence: Do they predict depression?
Catherine B Gittins1,2, Caroline Hunt1
1School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Plos One
|December 18, 2020
Summary
In early adolescents, low self-esteem is linked to depression, but self-criticism is not. Depressive symptoms and self-esteem appear to influence each other over time in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Beck's theory posits negative self-cognitions precede depression.
- The causal relationship between self-cognitions and depression in adolescents is debated.
- Previous research supports Beck's theory in older adolescents but not younger ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal relationship between self-esteem, self-criticism, and depressive symptoms in early adolescence.
- To determine if self-cognitions predict depressive symptoms or vice versa.
- To examine these relationships in Australian adolescents aged around 12 years.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 243 Australian adolescents (mean age 12.08).
- Data collected at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months.
- Growth-curve modeling and cross-lagged analyses were employed.
Main Results:
- Self-criticism and depressive symptoms increased over time; self-esteem decreased.
- Self-esteem predicted depressive symptoms from Time 2 to Time 3.
- Depressive symptoms predicted self-esteem from Time 1 to Time 2.
- Self-criticism did not predict depressive symptoms, nor vice versa.
- Relationships were largely independent of gender.
Conclusions:
- Self-esteem and depressive symptoms exhibit a reciprocal relationship in early adolescence.
- Self-criticism does not appear to predict the development of depression in this age group.
- While low self-esteem is relevant to depression development, it's not strictly predictive, and effects vary across negative self-cognitions.
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