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.