The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries

Positive mental health is central to adolescent well-being. The present study examines the prevalence of loneliness and positive mental health indicators (mental well-being and self-esteem) in four Nordic countries and associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and high self-esteem. This st...

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Main Authors: Nelli Lyyra, Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson, Charli Eriksson, Katrine Rich Madsen, Asko Tolvanen, Petra Löfstedt, Raili Välimaa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/14/7405
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spelling doaj-26bd1ef011f84292a0f7ad5fb8c6442a2021-07-23T13:43:47ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012021-07-01187405740510.3390/ijerph18147405The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic CountriesNelli Lyyra0Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson1Charli Eriksson2Katrine Rich Madsen3Asko Tolvanen4Petra Löfstedt5Raili Välimaa6Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, FinlandFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, AustraliaDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, SwedenThe National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense, DenmarkFaculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, FinlandDepartment of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, SwedenFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, FinlandPositive mental health is central to adolescent well-being. The present study examines the prevalence of loneliness and positive mental health indicators (mental well-being and self-esteem) in four Nordic countries and associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and high self-esteem. This study is based on data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study which was conducted in 2018 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. Participants were 5883 15-year-old boys and girls. To examine the associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied. In the comparison of Nordic countries, the prevalence of loneliness was highest among Finnish and Icelandic adolescents. High mental well-being and high self-esteem were most prevalent in Denmark and Sweden. In general, boys scored higher on positive mental health indicators and girls on loneliness. Loneliness was also a strong indicator of low mental well-being and low self-esteem in all Nordic countries. Loneliness is not only associated with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, but it is also a risk factor for adolescents’ positive mental health. Positive mental health is important for healthy maturation and there is a need to develop initiatives to reduce adolescent loneliness and so support positive development.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/14/7405lonelinesspositive mental healthmental well-beingself-esteemadolescentsNordic countries
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Nelli Lyyra
Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson
Charli Eriksson
Katrine Rich Madsen
Asko Tolvanen
Petra Löfstedt
Raili Välimaa
spellingShingle Nelli Lyyra
Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson
Charli Eriksson
Katrine Rich Madsen
Asko Tolvanen
Petra Löfstedt
Raili Välimaa
The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
loneliness
positive mental health
mental well-being
self-esteem
adolescents
Nordic countries
author_facet Nelli Lyyra
Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson
Charli Eriksson
Katrine Rich Madsen
Asko Tolvanen
Petra Löfstedt
Raili Välimaa
author_sort Nelli Lyyra
title The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
title_short The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
title_full The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
title_fullStr The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
title_full_unstemmed The Association between Loneliness, Mental Well-Being, and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Four Nordic Countries
title_sort association between loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem among adolescents in four nordic countries
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
issn 1661-7827
1660-4601
publishDate 2021-07-01
description Positive mental health is central to adolescent well-being. The present study examines the prevalence of loneliness and positive mental health indicators (mental well-being and self-esteem) in four Nordic countries and associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and high self-esteem. This study is based on data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study which was conducted in 2018 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. Participants were 5883 15-year-old boys and girls. To examine the associations between loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied. In the comparison of Nordic countries, the prevalence of loneliness was highest among Finnish and Icelandic adolescents. High mental well-being and high self-esteem were most prevalent in Denmark and Sweden. In general, boys scored higher on positive mental health indicators and girls on loneliness. Loneliness was also a strong indicator of low mental well-being and low self-esteem in all Nordic countries. Loneliness is not only associated with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, but it is also a risk factor for adolescents’ positive mental health. Positive mental health is important for healthy maturation and there is a need to develop initiatives to reduce adolescent loneliness and so support positive development.
topic loneliness
positive mental health
mental well-being
self-esteem
adolescents
Nordic countries
url https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/14/7405
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