Self-Esteem in Adolescent Girls: A Qualitative Study

Background: Adolescence is a critical period of life for all people. Self-esteem is also a basic human need that affects one’s growth, development, and identity. This study aimed to explain 12-14 year-old female adolescents’ experiences regarding selfesteem. Methods: In this qualitative content-analysis study, adolescent girls aged 12-14 years were selected by the purposeful sampling method. The data were gleaned using individual interviews and focus group discussions. The recorded audio files were transcribed and the information was compared and merged with available related literature. The derived ideas were compared and the codes were integrated to form categories. Ultimately, we extracted more abstract categories and sub-categories. Results: The concept of self-esteem in adolescents is defined as an intellectual approach to oneself. Adolescents considered perceived benefits and good feelings as the outcomes of high self-esteem. From their perspective, interpersonal and intrapersonal influencers contribute to self-esteem. Conclusions: Attention should be paid to adolescents’ self-esteem and its effective factors, including interpersonal and intrapersonal influencers. Therefore, appropriate conditions should be provided for adolescents to promote their self-esteem.