Leiden University Student Repository

Ravinale Cañón, Zoe (2021)

Relationship Anxiety and Avoidance as an Indicator of Self-Esteem throughout Adolescence

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

This study was one of the first to cross-sectionally research the association between relationship anxiety and avoidance with self-esteem through the different stages of adolescence. The final sample consisted of 155 teenagers aged 11 to 21 years old (M = 15.93, SD = 2.98, 53.5% female). The participants were divided into three age groups; early (11-15 years), middle (15-18 years), and late adolescence (18-22 years). Five Ordinary least squares regression analyses were carried out. The results revealed a significant association between relationship anxiety and avoidance with self-esteem. Lastly, the strength of these associations varied throughout adolescence. The results showed that the strength of the relationships between relation anxiety and avoidance over self-esteem was significantly different for middle adolescents compared to late adolescents. This could be caused by normal developmental changes. Future research should focus on bigger sample sizes and maximizing...Show moreThis study was one of the first to cross-sectionally research the association between relationship anxiety and avoidance with self-esteem through the different stages of adolescence. The final sample consisted of 155 teenagers aged 11 to 21 years old (M = 15.93, SD = 2.98, 53.5% female). The participants were divided into three age groups; early (11-15 years), middle (15-18 years), and late adolescence (18-22 years). Five Ordinary least squares regression analyses were carried out. The results revealed a significant association between relationship anxiety and avoidance with self-esteem. Lastly, the strength of these associations varied throughout adolescence. The results showed that the strength of the relationships between relation anxiety and avoidance over self-esteem was significantly different for middle adolescents compared to late adolescents. This could be caused by normal developmental changes. Future research should focus on bigger sample sizes and maximizing generalization by including participants from different cultures, countries, and socio-economical backgrounds.Show less

Relationship anxiety

relationship avoidance

self-esteem

adolescence

Author

Ravinale Cañón, Zoe

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Supervisors

Spaans, J.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en