Analysis of Self-Esteem in Adolescence in the Context of Open Communication and Trust in Parents and Peers

This research study examines the causal relationship between adolescents’ level of self-esteem and their perception of emotional relationships in the areas of trust, communication, and emotional closeness with parents and peers within the school environment. Emotional closeness in this study is defined by the degree of openness in communication and the extent to which intimate, personal issues are shared with parents and peers. The primary aim of the research is to explore the connection between various dimensions of adolescent self-esteem (general self, family self, social self, and academic self) and their emotional and social connectedness (trust, communication, intensity of emotional closeness) with both parents and peers. An additional objective is to identify gender differences in adolescents’ levels of self-esteem. The study focuses on late adolescence as defined by Berk (2013). The research employed questionnaire method including the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) and a modified version of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI – Coopersmith, 2002a; modified by Korpinen, 2000). The research sample consisted of 209 adolescents aged 17 to 22 years (N♀ = 115; N♂ = 94; M age = 18.91). Significant relationships were found between dimensions of self and levels of trust and open communication with both parents and peers, as well as gender differences in self-esteem levels. Specifically, girls exhibited higher self-esteem across all dimensions (general, family, social, and academic self).