Perceived social support, self-esteem and depression among school-going adolescent students of St. Charles Lwanga Kasasa Masaka

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between perceived social support, self-esteem and depression among school going adolescents. The study was carried out from St. Charles Kasasa Secondary school and the sample size used was 100 students. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data about the students’ social relationship, self-esteem and depression characteristics. All of these concepts exist on a continuum of healthy to unhealthy. The focus of these concepts for the purpose of this research is on the healthy side of the continuum. Together social support, self-esteem, and depression create a cycle that has the potential to create and maintain relationships on the continuum of healthy to unhealthy. Majority of participants were female (62%) and the rest male. 13 -15 age bracket were the majority followed by 16 – 18 and least percentage the 19 – 20 years. Using spearman’s correlation, it has been concluded that there is no significant relationship perceived social support with neither self-esteem nor depression. However, the findings concluded that there was a significant relationship between self-esteem and depression.