title: Low self-esteem as a risk factor for loneliness in adolescence: perceived - but not actual - social acceptance as an underlying mechanism.
abstract: Low self-esteem has been shown to relate to concurrent and later feelings of loneliness in adolescence. However, it remains unclear why low self-esteem puts adolescents at risk for experiencing loneliness. Further, longitudinal research on the direction of effects between loneliness and self-esteem is virtually non-existent. The present study aims to fill these gaps in the literature. First, the direction of effects between loneliness and self-esteem was investigated in two independent longitudinal studies: a five-wave study sampling Dutch adolescents (M age = 15.22 years at T1; 47 % female; N = 428) and a three-wave study sampling Belgian adolescents (M age = 14.95 years at T1; 63 % female; N = 882). Second, the underlying role of social acceptance was investigated in the latter sample by applying a multi-method approach that included actual (i.e., peer-reported) and perceived (i.e., self-reported) social acceptance. Results indicated that self-esteem and loneliness influenced one another in a reciprocal manner. Furthermore, the dominant path from self-esteem to loneliness was partially mediated by perceived--but not actual--social acceptance. The importance of distinguishing actual from perceived social acceptance is discussed, and suggestions for future research are outlined.
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Tiensestraat 102, box 3715, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. janne.vanhalst@psy.kuleuven.be
authors: Janne
authors: J
authors: Vanhalst
authors: Koen
authors: K
authors: Luyckx
authors: Ron H J
authors: RH
authors: Scholte
authors: Rutger C M E
authors: RC
authors: Engels
authors: Luc
authors: L
authors: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D012929:Psychological Distance; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept
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