Written by: Aishwarya Samptur
Edited by: Tiffany Ang
Looking into the mirror is often deceiving. The image of yourself that you see reflected back isn’t always reality, with one’s self-perception possibly manipulated due to a multitude of reasons. Self-image is a particularly relevant topic amongst adolescents, as noticeable growth and changes provide a gateway into opportunities for individuals to develop a well-rounded personality, mindset, and ideals. However, along with this newfound responsibility of growing into oneself comes conflicts that hinder a healthy journey through adolescence.
This developmental stage creates obstacles that individuals approach differently, which affects their self-esteem and self-perception. For instance, Maslow states that high self-esteem can garner feelings of happiness and increase one’s confidence, whereas low self-esteem can cause one to feel inferior, frustrated, and hopeless, which can consequently lead to psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression (Li, W., Guo, Y., Lai, W. et al., 2023). Anxiety is one of the many potential circumstances in life that holds the power to change the way one perceives themselves. Referencing the DSM-5, which serves as a comprehensive guide to the categorization of mental disorders, generalized anxiety disorder is defined as “excessive anxiety and worry, occurring more days than not for at least six months…” (American Psychiatric Association). In other words, anxiety is a persistent, underlying feeling of stress or tension that makes the individual fear the worst.
During this stage of development, generalized anxiety disorder in adolescents is often a product of fear and social pressure, which is more often than not directly associated with how their peers perceive them Skaalvik established that students who had difficulty learning or reading were preoccupied with social comparisons and were instead highly concerned with their peers’ perspectives of them (Skaalvik, 1997). Consequently, students utilized a “variety of self-protective strategies to avoid negative perceptions from other students.” (Skaalvik, 1997).
The combination of fear and its consequent anxiety paired with the choices of an individual is reflected through their preference of coping styles, which are strategies that individuals adapt to handle external stressors. An individual’s coping styles can be positive or negative. For instance, positive coping styles involve the individual to rationally view a conflict and approach the issue at hand with a logical solution. On the other hand, negative coping styles refer to individuals choosing to fall back on avoidance and denial to cope with their external stress. An individual’s choice of coping style is a direct reflection of their self-esteem, which then consequently either positively or negatively affects their levels of anxiety. Research relative to the intersection between coping styles and self esteem strongly suggests that negative coping styles or emotion-focused coping such as “avoidance, social withdrawal, and denial of the coping process can lead to anxiety” (Li, W., Guo, Y., Lai, W. et al., 2023). Furthermore, it was established that a negative coping style may increase the likelihood of negative thoughts and risky behaviors when confronted with stressful events, whereas a positive coping style can serve as a protective mechanism against mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and stress in adolescents (Li, W., Guo, Y., Lai, W. et al., 2023).
Overall, the relationship between an individual’s anxiety and self-esteem is a cycle that is dependent on their choice of coping styles. An individual’s choice in coping styles is directly influenced by their environment, stressing the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced environment with a reliable support system to ensure the usage of positive coping strategies for better-treated anxiety and higher self-esteem.
References:
Byrne, B. (2000). Relationships between Anxiety, Fear, Self-Esteem, and Coping Strategies in Adolescence. Adolescence, 35(137), 201–215.
Fernandes, B., Newton, J., & Essau, C. A. (2022). The Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem on Anxiety and Emotion Regulation. Psychological reports, 125(2), 787–803. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294121996991
Li, W., Guo, Y., Lai, W. et al. Reciprocal relationships between self-esteem, coping styles and anxiety symptoms among adolescents: between-person and within-person effects. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 17, 21 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00564-4
Skaalvik, E. M. (1997). Self-enhancing and self-defeating ego orientation: Relations with task and avoidance orientation, achievement, self-perceptions, and anxiety. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(1), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.89.1.71
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