Low self-esteem as a vulnerability differentially predicts symptom dimensions of depression in university students in China: A 6-month longitudinal study

This 6-month longitudinal study examined how self-esteem as a vulnerability differentially predicts symptom dimensions of depression in a sample of university students from Hunan Province, China. Baseline and 6-month follow-up data were obtained from 659 university students. During an initial assessment, participants completed measures assessing their low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and the occurrence of daily hassle. Participants subsequently completed measures assessing daily hassle and depressive symptoms once per month for 6 months. Higher low self-esteem scores were associated with greater increases in the somatic complaints and positive affect dimensions, but not the depressed affect and interpersonal problem dimensions of depressive symptoms following daily hassle in Chinese university students. The results of the current study suggest that low self-esteem plays a significant role in the etiology and course of depressive symptoms that develop in response to exposure to daily hassles. Consistent with the vulnerability-stress model of depression, the results suggest that low self-esteem serves as a risk factor and daily hassles serve as a precipitating factor.