title: Gender differences in development of mental well-being from adolescence to young adulthood: an eight-year follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is marked by many changes. Mental well-being plays an important role in how individuals deal with these changes and how they develop their lifestyle. The goal of this study was to examine gender differences in the long-term development of self-esteem and other mental well-being variables from the age of 15 to the age of 23.
  
  
  METHODS
  A baseline measurement was performed in a nationwide sample of 385 Icelandic adolescents aged 15, and a follow-up measurement was conducted eight years later, when participants had reached the age of 23. Standardized questionnaires were used to measure self-reports of self-esteem, life satisfaction, body image, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women improved their self-esteem significantly more than men from the age of 15 to 23 (p=0.004). Women were more satisfied with their life than men at the age of 23 (p=0.009). Men had a better body image, less anxiety, less depression and fewer somatic complaints than women, independent of age. Across gender, anxiety declined and somatic complaints became fewer (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that gender differences in mental well-being factors, favouring men, found in adolescents, are not as long-lasting as previously thought. Women improve their mental well-being from adolescence to young adulthood while men's mental well-being does not change.
authors.affiliation: Center of Sport and Health Sciences, School of Education.
authors.forename: Sunna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gestsdottir
authors.affiliation: Center for Prevention Studies, Department of Social Sciences, University of Akureyri, Iceland.
authors.forename: Arsaell
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnarsson
authors.affiliation: Center of Sport and Health Sciences, School of Education.
authors.forename: Kristjan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.affiliation: Center of Sport and Health Sciences, School of Education.
authors.forename: Sigurbjorn Arni
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Arngrimsson
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Movement Science, School of Health Sciences; University of Iceland, Iceland.
authors.forename: Thorarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sveinsson
authors.affiliation: Center of Sport and Health Sciences, School of Education erljo@hi.is.
authors.forename: Erlingur
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johannsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Mental well-being; adolescence; life satisfaction; self-esteem; young adulthood