Young Adults, Self-Esteem, Psychological Well-Being, and Positive Psychology

Abstract

Young adults experiencing mental health disorders in the United States have increased significantly over the past decade, without a proportionally corresponding increase in older American adults. A decrease in self-esteem among young adults may contribute to mental health issues within this demographic. A factor contributing to the decline in self-esteem is the widespread use of social media, which exacerbates social comparisons and perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards. While mental health care for young adults has traditionally focused on symptom management, positive psychology is a more balanced approach which involves highlighting strengths, promoting gratitude, and nurturing optimism, in addition to addressing challenges and alleviating suffering. Positive psychology interventions aim to utilize individuals' strengths and gratitude to enhance psychological well-being. This study examined 53 young adults aged 18-29 in California who had at least eight psychotherapy sessions, and the relationships among the variables were analyzed using a quantitative approach with Pearson r Correlation. The findings in this study revealed that positive psychology interventions were not a significant predictor of increased self-esteem in young adults, likely due to the negativity bias that is more prevalent in young adults. However, the study found that positive psychology interventions that focused on the self, such as savoring life’s joys and participating in meaningful activities, showed an increase in self-esteem, whereas interventions centered on others did not increase self-esteem. Additionally, findings indicated that an increase in the number of social media applications used was associated with a small to medium decrease in self-esteem. This analysis found that psychologists are meeting the needs and supporting young adults in psychotherapy since 56% of participants reported an increase in their self-esteem and 62% reported an improvement in their psychological well-being following their therapy sessions. The research also found that self-esteem was a significant predictor of psychological well-being in young adults 18-29 years old.