Brief Report Adolescent Self-Esteem, Attachment and Loneliness

Objectives: To assess self-esteem, loneliness and attachment styles among adolescents and examine their association with each other and with age and gender. Method: Adolescents (55 males and 55 females) from a public school in Delhi, aged 10-13 years were administered Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (School Form), Attachment Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale. Results: Adolescents aged 10-11 years reported higher self-esteem as compared to those aged 12-13 years (p<0.01). Low global, general and home-parents self-esteem were associated with high levels of loneliness. Adolescents with high self-esteem were securely attached while those with low self-esteem had preoccupied and fearful attachment. Conclusions: Adolescents studying in a public school reported high levels of self-esteem, moderate loneliness and a secure attachment style. Students with low self-esteem and feelings of loneliness may benefit from psychological intervention