Low self-esteem as a risk factor for depression: A longitudinal study with continuous time modeling.

What is it about?

How long does it take for low self-esteem to impact depression? In our new study, we tackled this question using an advanced technique called continuous time modeling — a method that allows us to examine how psychological effects unfold gradually and precisely over time. This is important because traditional methods only capture effects at fixed time points, possibly missing the bigger picture. We analyzed data from nearly 3,000 people aged 16 to 102, followed over a 17-year period. Our key finding: ▶️ Low self-esteem significantly predicted increases in depression, with the strongest effect occurring around 2 years later. ▶️ This effect lasted up to 10 years. ▶️ In contrast, depression did not predict later self-esteem. The pattern held across genders, generations, and different aspects of depression (i.e. depressed affect, positive affect, and interpresonal difficulties). These results offer strong support for the idea that low self-esteem is a long-term vulnerability for developing depression, and show that its impact plays out most strongly around the two-year mark. Thanks to continuous time modeling, we can now better understand the time course of this important relationship.

Featured Image

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash