Personality, self-esteem, and demographic predictions of happiness and depression

This paper examines correlations and causes of happiness and depression among adolescents. Personality, self-esteem, "aspects of life", affect, depression, and happiness were all measured by self-report and the data explored through using multiple regression. In all 234 participants (mean age = 18.23 years) completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Positive Affect; Negative Affect; and Affect Balance Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Oxford Happiness Inventory. Results indicated that extraversion was significantly correlated with positive affect, negative affect, depression, and happiness (r = 0.27, r = -0.22, r = -0.39, r = 0.45; P < 0.01 to P < 0.001) and neuroticism significantly correlated with positive affect, negative affect, depression, and happiness to a similar degree (r = -0.24, r = 0.35, r = 0.53, r = -0.43; P < 0.001). Self-esteem and relationship with parents had a direct predictive power on happiness (beta = 0.49, P < 0.001; beta = 0.18, P < 0.05) and the opposite relationship with depression (beta = -0.39, P < 0.001; beta = -0.22, P < 0.01) whereas extraversion and neuroticism predicted happiness and depression mediating through self-esteem (beta = 0.23, P < 0.01; beta = -0.47, P < 0.001). Further, for depression, sex also showed direct predictive power (beta = 0.20, P < 0.01). The "path model" which resulted from the analysis showed clearly the differences in the personality, self-esteem, and demographic predictions of happiness as opposed to depression. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.