The Management of Mental Health: Exploring the Relationship of Self-Esteem with Depression, Anxiety and Stress among University Students

Abstract

This research investigates the association between self-esteem and mental health outcomes, specifically depression, anxiety, and stress, within a university student population. The all 7000 undergraduate students of University of Malakand was considered the population of this study. Sixteen departments were taken randomly as a sample by using simple random sampling technique. They include pure Sciences, social Sciences, arts and Computer sciences. The research scale DASS42 has 42 items that was used. There were four options never, sometimes, often and always, to measure the level of depression, anxiety and stress. The reliability of depressions scale was .726, anxiety scale was .756 and stress scale was.764. For measuring relationship of self-esteem Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used with 10 items, has also four options strongly agreed, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. The reliability of self- esteem Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used. Both questionnaires were administered to the same student. The questionnaires were administered to 210 students by using simple random sampling technique. The study revealed a statistically significant correlation between self-esteem and mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Notably, the results indicated a negative correlation, suggesting that higher levels of self-esteem are associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Further, this study examined that female had more depression, anxiety and stress level and low self-esteem than male.